Sinanarah Slutkin, *We Say Sadly

At the beginning of the school year in 2022, Aaron Slutkin ‘17 rejoined the Gilman community. Under Gilman’s long-standing tradition of integrating early career educators into the community through a fellowship, Mr. Slutkin was hired as a Class of 1955 Callard Fellow. 

Mr. Slutkin began his career by teaching English 10 and World Cultures. Immediately, he established a strong presence in the community as an authoritative yet fair teacher. Mr. Slutkin created a challenging classroom dynamic, inviting students to deeply explore the nuances and complexity in literature and history. Two-time student of Mr. Slutkin, junior Chase Carpenter ‘26, explained, “Mr. Slutkin knows how to make a student look forward to class. You never know what you’re going to get, new things every day that keep the students engaged.” 

Mr. Slutkin’s domain was not limited to the classroom, as it included a strong presence in the athletic program through his coaching of football, squash, and IM basketball. Toby Rosenband ‘26, former fourth-string quarterback, stated, “He cared about his players! –and ALWAYS celebrated the big plays!” Mr. Slutkin truly embodied the ideals of “The Gilman Man,” striving to be the best on and off the field.

Additionally, Mr. Slutkin had profound effects on many clubs at Gilman. He took up a role as a faculty advisor for The Gilman News alongside Ms. Bhalla and Mr. Zealand, having an intense impact on his constituents. Zach Minkin ‘23, former Editor-in-Chief, reflected, “Mr. Slutkin had high expectations and was a very demanding editor, but for all of the right reasons, he helped me improve drastically as a writer and improved the quality of the paper dramatically.” Additionally, current Editor-in-Chief John Cameron ‘26 remarked, “Mr Slutkin was a mentor in and outside the news for me. What I admire most about him was his ability to involve himself and interact with every archetype of student Gilman had to offer.”

As all good things do, Mr. Slutkin’s Gilman teaching career has come to an end. He is moving on to work at the Hudson Institute in DC, where he will continue his academic prowess and surely inspire the masses. Mr. Slutkin will undoubtedly be missed by all, but we at The News are excited to watch him spread his wings and soar!