Fred Atwood has always been a teacher. As a child growing up in Boston he set up a museum of natural artifacts in his basement, inviting friends over to learn all about nature’s treasures. “I would show them my collection of rocks, shells, feathers, and bird nests and take them on walks through the neighborhood looking for more,” he recalls. Fred credits his parents’ early encouragement of his interest in birds, butterflies, and rocks for his lifelong fascination with the natural world. In 3rd grade, they enrolled him in the bird club at the Children’s Museum of Boston, led by Miriam Dickey. Miss Dickey’s approach to exploration left an indelible mark on Fred. “Somehow, walking in the same places every week all year long, we still managed to find neat and interesting things every time we went out,” he reflects.

After high school, Fred went off to Bowdoin College to study environmental science and biology. In his freshman year he took an ornithology class that deepened his interest in the avian kingdom. But by junior year, he had acknowledged his natural calling to become an educator. “I asked God what he wanted me to do and that’s what he told me,” he says. 

Beginning his career at St. Stephen’s School (now St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes) in Alexandria, Virginia, Fred quickly confronted the challenges of being a first-year teacher. At times, he found himself learning the material just a day ahead of his students, occasionally having to admit to them, “Sorry, I taught you this wrong yesterday — here’s the right answer.”

That image of a fledgling teacher is worlds apart from the Fred Atwood known today: a figure of boundless expertise ranging from biology to ecology, geology to anatomy and physiology, and so much more. Yet, above all, it’s his infectious enthusiasm that truly defines him.

Fred’s fervor for all things science combined with his playful eccentricity transformed the learning experience for his students. Reflecting on Fred’s unique teaching style, Sagar Mehra ’10 shares, “Through undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral classes, I have always remembered the stop codons because of Mr. Atwood’s caveman dance to remember them during our genetics unit.”

Fred’s philosophy? “It’s fun to be bizarre and strange sometimes.” He’s famous for telling his 3rd grade students he was a leprechaun who never aged. As Allie Fellows ’15 recounts, “My dad had Mr. Atwood and I had Mr. Atwood. He looks exactly the same, with the same passion. I’m starting to believe his leprechaun story!'”

Mr. Atwood is the last of an incredible line of “founding” faculty members who joined Flint Hill during its reorganization to an independent school in 1990. Having planted roots at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes, Fred took a significant leap of faith to come to a new school with an uncharted future. His meaningful risk mirrored Til Hazel’s bold vision for Flint Hill and was instrumental in shaping the school’s new direction.

Fred is a plank owner who has built this place from the ground up.

Andy Krug

As Fred’s longtime Flint Hill colleague Andy Krug says, “Fred is a plank owner who has built this place from the ground up.” Over 35 years Fred’s classroom has been a magnet for students, and his engagement with them extends far beyond its walls. He makes it a point to attend as many school events as possible, cheering on Huskies at games and performances, showing them that he cares about all aspects of their success and happiness.

Fred was instrumental in establishing FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities & Schools) at both Flint Hill and at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes, creating a space for “seekers, believers, and non-believers to engage in sincere dialogue,” as he describes it. For Fred, science and faith are deeply connected. “Being out there in nature,” he says, “I just feel that there has to be something behind all the matter and energy and order and balance that we see.” He has long given scientific slideshow presentations at churches, offering a biblical perspective on conservation. When asked whether he believes the next generation will step up to the challenge of taking care of the planet, he says simply, “People are people,” acknowledging the constant presence of both positive and negative human impact. However, he remains cautiously optimistic, particularly when considering the impressive young minds in his classroom.

Fred’s mentorship of his students is subtle yet impactful as evidenced by the number of budding birders among them. Drawing upon his memorable time in Miss Dickey’s Boston bird club, he recreated that same experience for kids in this area by founding the Northern Virginia Teen Bird Club. The Oakton-based bird club is still going strong. During the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Birdathon in May 2023, his teen group identified 105 bird species in a single day, the highest count in the youth category. A master ornithologist himself, Fred can identify the vast majority of Virginia’s native bird species and (according to his birding app at the time of our interview) has seen 2,527 species globally. 

It isn’t hard to believe that Fred’s passport is impressively stamped. So, too, are some of his students’, thanks to his invitations to join him on expeditions to such places as Kenya, Tanzania, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Belize, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Antarctica, and the Arctic. His commitment to experiential learning is remarkable. “Reading about things is great. Watching videos about things is great. But the best way to learn something is to be there when it happens, to watch it unfold,” he affirms.

Adam Cleland ’13 attests that his trip with Mr. Atwood to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was unforgettable. “I’ve been to 20+ countries since that trip, and have never had an experience that was more interesting, thoughtful, and fun as ours together.”

Tracy Peterson, Fred’s longtime Flint Hill colleague, calls her chaperoning experience in Tanzania “life changing.” She fondly recounts the patient wait for the wildebeest. “We spent 6 or 7 hours in jeeps, passing the time with books, conversations, games, and journaling. Finally, the wildebeest arrived, crossing the water as the sun set over the Serengeti. Mr. Atwood turned to me and declared, “My soul is full.”‘ Fred says if he could only go back to just one of those places he’s visited, it would be Tanzania.

On the occasion of Fred’s 30th year at Flint Hill in 2020, Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor compiled a memory book for him, receiving over 100 heartfelt submissions from his colleagues and former students. Countless former students credit Mr. Atwood with inspiring their careers in science: from Kimberly Swart’s ’12 venture into veterinary medicine — “He made such a difficult AP bio class so fun and interesting to learn.” — to James Kremer’s ’05 doctoral study in microbiology and molecular genetics — “Perhaps the most valuable lesson he taught me is regardless of how much we learn and know, we are all still students and must remain humble and open-minded.” 

Fred modestly affirms that his goal has always been to “plant seeds and add water.” He is humbled by the success of former students in the sciences, recognizing it as a testament to those seeds taking root.

Throughout this year, the school community has been celebrating Fred Atwood and the legacy he will leave after he retires this June. During Flint Hill Day on February 13, students and teachers gave Fred a standing ovation in appreciation for his incredible 35 years. To honor his boundless dedication to Flint Hill, the school has established the Fred Atwood Endowed Fund for Science to support and enhance science education for future generations, ensuring his passion for discovery continues to shape young minds. In addition, the science classroom long associated with Atwood and his well-known collection of critters has been renamed the Fred Atwood Science Classroom.

What’s next for Mr. Atwood? Well, he’ll have time to focus on birding, photography, and slideshows, for sure. He’s also eager to pick up where he left off on an ethnobiology research project he started more than 30 years ago. “There are certain things I want to do and I want to do them before I can’t,” he says. 

Reflecting on his enduring legacy at Flint Hill it’s clear Fred Atwood is more than just a teacher. While we’ll profoundly miss his warmth and wisdom, we are filled with immense gratitude for his many contributions to our school and community.