Faculty Profile: Karen Thompson

10/20/2025

For faculty member Karen Thompson, Ransom Everglades is where family and community come together. Karen has taught at RE for over 42 years, bringing her combined love of Spanish language, running, the ocean and of course, family to the community. When interacting with Karen on campus, her passions are palpable, and her dedication to the students and RE is everlasting. We took some time to catch up with Karen and ask her about her experiences as a senior faculty member at RE.

Full Name: Karen Dale Thompson (nickname Kerry)

Year started at RE: 1982

Current positions/titles: Spanish teacher, Dean of the Freshman Class, Senior Faculty Member, Mentor for New Faculty

Previous positions held: World Languages Department Chair; Interim Head of the MS; Coordinator for Outward Bound Program; Assistant Girls Cross Country Coach and Assistant Girls Track and Field Coach (with Doc Crabtree); RE Summer Camp, Pool Director

Courses taught over the years: Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 2H, Spanish 3, Spanish 3H, Spanish 4

Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up?

I am one of four children and grew up in Pelham, a suburb of New York City. My family moved to Miami in 1968 when my dad began to work for Eastern Airlines. I attended Ponce de Leon Jr. High School for two years, and then went to The Ethel Walker School, a boarding school in Connecticut, for grades 10-12. In high school I played field hockey, basketball and softball. In college I played field hockey and my senior year at the University of Virginia, I left the field hockey team to play women’s rugby, a team that had been started by my roommates while I was studying in Madrid.

What did you study in college?

I earned a BA at University of Virginia and majored in Spanish. My junior year I transferred to University of Madrid (Complutense) and then transferred back to UVA for my senior year. I earned an MS at FIU and majored in ESOL.

When did you know you wanted to become a teacher?

After I graduated from Virginia, I decided not to pursue a master’s degree right away, so I needed a job. I applied to many schools in Miami, and Gulliver Academy offered me a job teaching Spanish to all grades in their elementary school. I was the teacher who pushed around a cart and went into each classroom for a 30-minute lesson. Elementary school was not for me.

When Gulliver opened up Gulliver Prep (the high school), I asked to be moved to the high school, and my department chair agreed. I had found the age group that I loved to teach. I was at Gulliver for five years and then applied for an opening at RE for a Spanish teacher at the upper school. Moving to RE was the best decision I ever made. My younger sister had graduated from Ransom Everglades, and I felt like I already knew a lot about the school. I thought that we would be a good fit, and guess what? Here I am 43 years later.

What is your favorite part about teaching at RE?

I love my students and enjoy working with them and seeing their progress throughout the year. It’s the opportunity to know students both in and out of the classroom that I really like – forming a relationship and connection with them.

My colleagues are wonderful. I feel lucky to work with such a talented group of educators who are passionate about what they teach, dedicated to the success of their students and fun to spend time with out of school.

In recent years, many of my former students have children who are now current RE students. I get a kick out of teaching our alums’ children – yet another connection within our community.

Tell us a funny student story.

When Doc Crabtree and I coached cross country together, we used to rent a 15-passenger van and drive to the away meets with the whole team. On one road trip, we stopped at a gas station to fill up and the girls piled out to use the restroom and buy snacks. A middle-aged couple on the other side of the pump watched in amazement as the girls got out of the van and then asked us, “Are they all yours?”

Doc and I looked at each other, laughed, and replied, “Yes, they are, every one of them.” We were like a big family.

What are your favorite RE memories?

Winning State with the Girls Cross Country team is one of my favorite memories. The girls trained hard all season and really pulled together as a team to make it happen. I was incredibly proud of them and what we accomplished.

RE is a family affair for me:

My younger sister, Amy Thompson Eastham, graduated from RE in 1980.

My husband, Jay Calkins, and I got married on the senior deck and had our reception in the Pagoda. When we departed the reception, we left in our boat, which we had docked down at the waterfront earlier in the morning.

My husband retired from RE after 16 years as chair of the science department (AP Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Biology, Ecology) and coach of track and field and MS cross country.

Our son graduated from RE in 2015. After double majoring in jazz trumpet and biology, he is now a 4th-year med student at USF in Tampa.

What kinds of things do you do for fun?

I enjoy running, biking, paddling, reading, camping, hiking, cooking, birding, traveling and most recently, golfing. My husband and I do ‘birding and biking/hiking’ vacations. We find places to explore where we can go birding and then bike or hike the area while looking for birds.

In the summer, we can be found in Down East, Maine, at a cottage on a lake near the ocean and fairly close to Canada. We have canoes, kayaks, mountain bikes and areas to hike near our house – so that’s what we do all summer.

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RE founder Paul Ransom, circa 1903

Faculty Profile: Karen Thompson

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