Strengthening Confidence Through Support: The Dovi Academic Resource Center 

When Damien and Debbie Dovi joined the Cannon School community in 2021, they immediately recognized a school deeply committed to students as individuals. Parents of Ava ’29 and Kyle ’31, the Dovis were drawn to Cannon’s emphasis on relationships and personalized learning. 

“It was clear that education and relationships were at the forefront,” Debbie says. 

That connection inspired the Dovis to make a significant gift to Cannon’s A Flourishing Future campaign. In recognition of their generosity, the Middle School Academic Resource Center (ARC) now bears their name: the Dovi Academic Resource Center. 

Cannon has long provided personalized academic support across all divisions, including a dedicated Academic Resource Center in the Upper School. As part of A Flourishing Future, this work was further advanced in the Lower and Middle Schools by renovating existing spaces into dedicated Academic Resource Centers, each designed to meet students where they are developmentally.   

The Dovi Academic Resource Center opened this fall and is fully operational, serving Middle School students under the leadership of Tracy Wade, Middle School Dean of Academic Support. 

The ARC’s mission resonated strongly with the Dovis, who value Cannon’s recognition that students learn in different ways and benefit from individualized support. For them, the ARC represents “a place where differences dissolve,” as Damien describes it. The Dovi ARC intentionally brings together students with a wide range of learning styles, creating an inclusive environment where neurodiverse and non-neurodiverse learners can work side by side. 

Debbie notes that having a dedicated space where “getting help is normalized” is especially meaningful during the Middle School years, which can be a time of heightened self-awareness and comparison among peers. The ARC intentionally brings together students with varied learning styles, allowing them to learn alongside one another in a supportive, judgment-free environment. 

Tracy Wade played an important role in the Dovis’ connection to the ARC. She was one of the first people Debbie met at Cannon, and her welcoming, approachable nature left a lasting impression. Having benefited from her experience and dedication as a family, the Dovis were inspired to give back so more students could access ARC resources. 

The Dovi ARC has become a place students want to be: a space that feels engaging, supportive, and empowering. “I don’t think a child has ever left the ARC with reduced confidence,” Damien says. He notes that it is a place where students want to be, rather than somewhere they feel obligated to go. 

Beyond academic support, the Dovi ARC helps students develop essential habits that contribute to long-term success. 

“Habits matter,” Damien says. “The older you get, the more you realize how important training and habits and consistency impact your success.” 

Through their gift, the Dovi family is helping ensure that Middle School students have access to a space where they can build skills, confidence, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning. 

“Culturally and habitually, learning in an ARC environment is a great gift that students can carry into their college careers,” notes Damien. “Not every school offers an ARC. It’s truly unique.”