Ms. Callomon is known among Ellis alumnae as one of those teachers who didn’t just connect with a particular kind of student or students who were only interested in her area of expertise, history. No, Judy was the kind of transformational educator who was able to connect with all types of Ellis girls. Liz SUCCOP Altman ’70 reflects, "It wasn't until many years later that I recognized that she looked at and appreciated each student for who they were individually as a person. It wasn't a class of 20 girls. It was a class of 20 individuals, and Judy so expertly recognized what made each and every one of them special and unique."

While beloved by her students, Judy was no shrinking violet. She was known on campus among the students as a titan, and she held court among the faculty in the break room. Former teacher, Division Director, and Head of School Robin Newham says, "Judy was a force to be reckoned with and her reputation preceded her. She was a true steel magnolia." Judy could certainly be intimidating, but she always made everyone feel very welcome and part of the community, especially when talking one-on-one. Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Belle Moldovan recalls, "Judy was head of the history department when I started as a teacher at Ellis. I remember her fondly as an ‘every person's person.’” Liz, who not only became a lifelong friend of Judy’s but also had her as a teacher while attending Ellis, adds, "The iconic, brilliant, stylish, former Ellis girl turned educator had me quaking in my boots because she was a tough teacher. When we became friends later in life, it was an honor to then know her as a human being.” 

Judy's love for her students ran deep, and she disapproved of any situation in which students' needs were not put first. Robin adds, "That was unconscionable to her. One of the best lessons I learned from her was that in any interaction you have, don't make assumptions and don't think you know the story until you really talk to the students. Still to this day, it is really important to Ellis students that they are heard and understood.”

When she was named Director of the Upper School in 1991, Judy continued to teach, to the delight of her adoring students. Comparative Government was her signature AP course, and she taught it in the Benjamin R. Fisher Gallery because her classroom was simply not large enough to accommodate the volume of students who signed up for it.

In the fall of 1997, it was reported that Upper School enrollment had increased by 45% in five years under Judy’s leadership. That same year, she noted in an article she wrote for Ellis’ alumnae magazine, “Right now we’re bursting at the seams. A new facility with about 40 girls per class in the Upper School will allow a far broader cross-section of young women, bringing with it many things implicit in an Ellis education: diversity, a wider variety of viewpoints, multiculturalism, a panorama of hobbies, sports, and club interests.” 

This growth in the student body was all well before construction on the Upper School Hillman Family Building was completed in 2000. Judy was an integral part of that master planning process from the beginning. A facet of that facilities improvement plan was the strong belief that girls deserved the very best in STEM facilities and tools—an idea that was still quite a groundbreaking idea even in 1997. Judy said at the time, “To get the science labs up in visible territory in this day and age when we’re trying so hard to bring science and math into more prominence [for girls] will make a statement.”

Judy’s impact on her students is tangible in the many Ellis women she touched across the years. To this day, alumnae speak to her lasting impact. Molly QUINLIN O'Brien ’99 shares, “Ms. Callomon embodied both a calming gentleness and a fierce strength. I hope to continue to grow into the person she believed I could be. Her lessons still inspire me today; in my career, as a mother, as a wife, as a friend, and as a woman.” Director of Development and Alumnae Engagement Carly REED Carstens ’02 shares, “Judy had a positive impact on everyone around her throughout her years at Ellis, maintained lifelong friendships with her fellow alumnae, parents, faculty, and staff, and influenced generations of Ellis girls.” She adds, “Judy was known for her compassion, wit, and high expectations of her students. Many Ellis alumnae have shared stories of the enormous influence Judy had on them and the many ways in which she inspired them to be their best selves.”

A Clear Voice for an Inclusive School

On September 11, 2001, when a series of the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in history occurred, some say it was fate that Judy was at the helm of Ellis as Acting Head of School. 

“Her understanding of history and ability to contextualize what was inconceivable to the rest of the community, as well as her steady understanding that bad things happen historically but we do carry on, functioned as a guiding light for Ellis faculty, staff, and students at the time,” shared Robin. Liz adds, “Judy was able to see the thread in how to developmentally and psychologically share hard information with children of all ages in an appropriate way at the time.” And Belle recalls, “She was just the right person at the moment; she was meant to be there that day to do the greatest thing she ever did as part of The Ellis School. She helped us find strength and courage in a dark hour.”

In contrast to her steady and stoic presence, Judy also had a soft side. Not only was she able to bond with people over a shared love of history, she was fascinated by people in general, wanting to know what they were doing and what interested them. She was constantly learning from those around her. In her personal time, she enjoyed needlepoint, knitting, the symphony, her dogs Freckles and Fu, and spending time with her husband. Judy was also a known Anglophile, traveling to England multiple times, including a visit with students for an Ellis trip. Years after being a student in Judy’s class, Liz became close family friends with Judy and her husband, Jim Callomon. Liz shares, "She and Jimmy were a perfect pair. She was definitely devoted to Jimmy, whom she loved very much.” 

In her later years, Judy formed close relationships with her caretakers. They were known to adore her and she could entertain them for hours with her knowledge. Robin shares that Judy “had a fondness for giving things that she owned to other people—sometimes big and sometimes small.” She adds, “Judy was very generous, and you always knew it was the gesture and the thoughtfulness around it that was important, not the scale of the gift.” 

Head of The Ellis School Macon Finley says, “Judy Callomon had a lasting and significant impact on the Ellis School community. She was incredibly respected and beloved by her students and fellow teachers, with a reputation for challenging all her students to do their very best work, while also being a remarkably caring and supportive advisor and mentor. Ms. Callomon was a quintessential Ellis alumna and teacher who embodied the very best qualities of Ellis students and faculty. We will miss her dearly.”

It is not easy to say goodbye to a woman who has represented so much to so many people. Judy’s legacy will live on in each life that she touched and each Ellis student that she inspired. Perhaps it is best to leave the last word to Judy herself, from a commencement address she gave to the Class of 1981: “It is not an easy task for my colleagues, your parents, nor I to say goodbye to you, because, very simply, each of us carries a part of each of you with us and each of you takes with you a part of each of us.”

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