Members of the Stanford Graduate School of Education community were saddened to learn of the Sept. 1 death of Daniel Mindich, who received his doctoral degree from the school in 2011 and his master's degree in 1991. The story below was written by the communications staff at Punahou School in Honolulu, where he was an English teacher, and posted on its website at http://bit.ly/1nT99DW. 

School mourns the loss of beloved teacher Dan Mindich

Academy English teacher and Director of Academy Summer School Dr. Daniel Mindich apparently drowned during the Waikiki Roughwater Swim on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. According to reports in the Star-Advertiser, he was spotted in distress after running into trouble during the swim.

“We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of our colleague, Dr. Daniel Mindich. He was a valued member of our school community, and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family,” said President Jim Scott.

Mindich, who received his bachelor’s from Vassar College and a master’s in education from Stanford University, began teaching in the Academy English Department at Punahou in 2003. At the conclusion of the 2008 academic year, Mindich and his family moved to California, where he completed his Ph.D. in education at Stanford in 2011. His doctoral thesis focused on the factors that helped increase or impede collaboration among teachers, a subject his colleagues noted he was well-suited for given his collaborative spirit.

Upon returning to Punahou in 2011, Mindich resumed his role as Academy English faculty. He taught English as part of an American Studies course to juniors, team teaching with Social Studies faculty. In January of 2013, he took on the role of director of the Academy Summer School and, that year and the next, also facilitated discussions at the summer professional development workshop, Lab School @ Punahou.

“Dan was a key member of our community at so many levels: beloved teacher, rising administrator and fun-loving colleague. At this difficult time, our faculty, deans, chaplains and counselors are focusing their attention on our students, providing whatever support they may need,” Academy Principal Kevin Conway reflected. Students and faculty are encouraged to take advantage of the counseling services available on campus.

Mindich grew up in New York City and had previously taught English at the middle- and high-school levels in California, Vermont and Kenya, and leaves behind a wife and three children.

A memorial service will be held in Thurston Chapel on Punahou School's campus at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. Visitation with the family will be held at the conclusion of the service, with refreshments to follow in the Chapel courtyard. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Punahou School for the Daniel Mindich Endowed Financial Aid Fund.

The above story was written by the communications staff at Punahou School and is posted at http://bit.ly/1nT99DW.