David Marshall Receives Peck’s Highest Faculty Honor

At Peck’s 2026 Welcome Back Dinner—held during the first week of school—Upper School Latin Teacher David Marshall was honored with the Disciplina ad Vivendum Award for Teaching Excellence, the school’s highest faculty distinction. The award recognizes a teacher who embodies lifelong learning, embraces the school’s mission, and creates a dynamic, caring environment where students thrive.

Since joining Peck in 2018, Marshall has brought joy, optimism, enthusiasm, and tremendous energy to his work—and the rare ability to bring Latin to life.

“Latin is almost always over-enrolled, with more students eager to take the course than we can easily accommodate,” Head of School Andy Delinsky says. “It is a remarkable testament to the experience David creates for his students.”

Marshall’s dedication begins long before the school day starts. Often arriving around 5 a.m. to get an early start on his days—reviewing lessons or refining scripts before classes begin—he brings that same energy and enthusiasm into every aspect of his work. At the end of his very first year at Peck, the eighth-grade class of 2019 selected him to deliver the faculty Commencement address—a testament to the trust and affection he quickly earned from his students.

Outside of the classroom, Marshall plays many vital roles, serving as an Upper School coach, Peck's InDeCoRe Council Advisor, International Trip Coordinator, and an eighth-grade advisor. He also makes appearances in Lower School Kairos assemblies, bringing his warmth, humor, and curiosity to students across divisions.

Marshall’s open-door policy invites students in throughout the day, before Morning Meeting, between classes, during recess, Academic Support, and at dismissal. Students gather there because they know they are welcome—and because Marshall creates a space where they can relax, laugh, ask for help, or simply be themselves.

What makes him such a memorable educator, however, is not simply his energy. Beneath it is an educator who knows his students deeply, sets high expectations, and helps even Peck’s most skeptical middle schoolers recognize their own value and understand how deeply they matter.

Marshall leads by example, uplifting his students, peers, and the entire Peck community through his energy, kindness, and lifelong commitment to learning. The school proudly congratulates him as the 2026 recipient of the Disciplina ad Vivendum Award for Teaching Excellence.