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Administration
David (Hock) Hochschartner, Head
518-523-9329, ext.6505
hock@northcountryschool.org
Hock has a BA in political science from Union College and an MA in private school leadership from Columbia University. In his 30+ years in education, he has taught math, science, and history and served at various schools as Dean of Students, Dean of Faculty, Assistant Head, and Director. Hock came to NCS as the science department chair in 1982. He taught and directed many programs at NCS from 1982-1993, ran Treetops West for a number of summers, and with his wife, Selden West, was an NCS houseparent for a decade. He was Director of Presidio Hill School in San Francisco for three years before returning to NCS as Head in 1999. Hock is currently a commissioner for the New York State Association of Independent School's (NYSAIS) Accreditation Committee and is a past President of the Junior Boarding Schools Association (JBSA). He was invited to be a Visiting Fellow by the prestigious Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University in 2003. Hock has two children, Jon (NCS ’02) and Lucy who is in Level V this year. In his spare time Hock is an avid rock climber, skier, mountaineer, and lacrosse player.
John Culpepper, Director of Facilities and Sustainability
518-523-9329, ext.5400
jculpepper@northcountryschool.org
John holds a BS in ornamental horticulture and landscape design, and an MS in plant sicence and molecular genetics, and is PhD, ABD in plant science from Cornell University. John has extensive teaching, speaking, and administrative experience in education both public and private. Since 2005 John has directed operations and maintenance efforts, renovation, new capital construciton, and sustainability initiatives for NCS/CTT. John and his family first worked at NCS/CTT in 1990 when he headed the garden program. John's wife, Karen, is the Director of Camp Treetops, and their children, Kelli, Katie, and Tucker, have a long history as campers and counselors and kitchen workers at CTT.
David Damico, Director of Admissions
518-523-9329, ext. 6000
ddamico@northcountryschool.org
David holds a BA in French and international relations from Bucknell University. During high school and college he spent time studying in Albi and Paris, France. For the past 20 years he has served in independent schools in Europe (Switzerland and UK) and in the US (PA), working as Dean of Students and Director of Admissions for secondary schools & summer programs. For 12 summers he directed a French language program in the Swiss Alps. David is joined by his wife Melanie, who serves as a houseparent in New House, and two young children, Samantha and Luca. Along with a passion for travel and exploring new territory, he is most at home in the outdoors, sailing, paddling, hiking, skiing and enjoying his family.
John Nicholson, Director of Communications
518-523-9329, ext. 5439
jnicholson@northcountryschool.org
John came to us in September 2011 from Evanston, IL, just north of Chicago, where he served as vice president and COO of Hometech, a residential and small business computer support company. Prior to that, John was president and CEO of Botanicals, an event design and production company he and his wife founded in 1995. Before Botanicals, John spent four years working as a sales consultant, writer, and director for the business consultancy The Breakthrough Group. A professional actor and director for many years, John received his MFA from the professional actor training program at Temple University. He was an undergraduate at Wesleyan University, where he earned his BA in psychology. John and his wife Casey have two children, Madeleine and Thatcher, who are Treetops campers and NCS students.
Nick Perry, Assistant Head
518-523-9329, ext.6504
nperry@northcountryschool.org
First here in 1983, Nick oversees the academic, outdoor, residential life, and weekend programs. Nick did his undergraduate work in anthropology and education at Haverford College, and his master's degree in environmental legal studies is from Vermont Law School. Nick’s son, Justin, graduated from NCS in 2002, and his daughter, Sarah, after graduating with the class of 2009, graduated from Putney School in Vermont in 2012. An avid skier and outdoor enthusiast, Nick co-led a five-week Treetops expedition (TTX) to Alaska during the summer of 2007 and enjoys the many opportunities to work and play here.
Susie holds a BA in psychology from Bucknell University, with a minor in mathematics. After graduating in 1986, Susie worked as a computer programmer for the Prudential Insurance Company for two years before getting married and moving to NCS in 1989, where she was a houseparent and math and photography teacher for 11 years before joining the administration in 2001. She lives in Wilmington with her husband, Ben, and their daughters: Meg is a 2009 graduate of NCS and Hannah graduated in 2012. During her free time, Susie enjoys spending time with her family, exploring the outdoors, and photographing nature.
Betsy holds a BS in hotel administration from Cornell University and an MS in accounting from Northeastern University. After years of traveling as an auditor for Deloitte, she's happy to be part of the NCS administrative team. If she's not in her office, you can usually find her working on a knitting project or waxing her skis. She lives in Wilmington with her husband, Favor, and their two daughters, Teresa and Annie. Both girls are devoted Treetops campers.
Jeff Woods, Director of Advancement
518-523-9329, ext.5446
jwoods@northcountryschool.org Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Guilford College, a master’s in sociology from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and certificates in Non-profit Management and Fundraising Management from Duke University and Indiana University, respectively. He arrived at NCS/Treetops in June 2010 from his home in California, where he served as Director of Development for UCSF Children’s Hospital. He has prior development experience with the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center and UNC Greensboro’s School of Education. He began his career in development at New Garden Friends School in Greensboro, NC, where he established the school’s first comprehensive development program. He and his wife, Natalie, enjoy the outdoors, particularly hiking with their greyhound and kayaking.
Betsy Smith, Business Manager/CFO