Embedded Files
Personal Bio:
Personal Bio:
Jim Skillings joined the Moses Brown faculty in 1982, embarking on a 43-year career as a Physical and Health Education teacher, advisor, and coach. A cornerstone of the Middle School, Jim guided hundreds of students through the challenges of adolescence with a unique blend of empathy and humor. Renowned as the funniest person on campus, he had a rare gift for using wit to forge deep connections, ensuring every student felt seen and supported. Beyond the gymnasium, Jim’s dedication to mentorship shone through his work coaching various athletic teams, where he instilled lessons of resilience and teamwork. He remains a beloved figure, fondly remembered for his profound kindness and his unwavering commitment to the Moses Brown community.
Red Maple:
Red Maple:
Scientific Name
Acer rubrum
Family
Sapindaceae
Description
Red maple is a large, handsome, native deciduous shade tree with a rounded crown and ascending branches.
Leaves are opposite, simple, 2–6 inches long, palmately veined with 3–5 principal triangular lobes, medium to dark green above and grayish beneath, edges irregularly and coarsely serrated; tip pointed, base with a 2–4 inch long red petiole, turning brilliant red, orange, and yellow in the fall.
Bark is light gray and smooth when young, becoming thick, dark gray, and separated by vertical ridges into large, plate-like scales on old trunks.
Twigs are slender, red, and shiny, featuring red buds with overlapping winter scales.
Flowers January–March, stalk short-stemmed and drooping, appearing in clusters before the leaves emerge; flowers small, red, and fragrant.
Fruits April–July, hanging in drooping clusters; fruit about ¾ inch long, a paired, "V" shaped, winged samara, colored red, pink, or yellow when immature, turning tan or brown at maturity.
Other Common Names
Red Maple
Size
Height: 40–120 ft.
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