Please join me in pausing to recognize Bob Hartman, who has decided to begin his retirement at the end of this week after 31 years in schools and the last 18 here at Moravian Academy.

Bob is known across our community for the discipline with which he has approached each of his days at our school. His students have long known that Mr. Hartman is not only passionate about the curriculum, but brings it to life through his own model of health, fitness, and nutrition. 18 years of MA graduates will never look at a restaurant menu the same again!

Bob is also known far and wide as the architect of Moravian Academy’s championship boys soccer program. With 18 years of coaching the boys and 10 years of coaching the girls, Bob and his teams have built a tradition of excellence that has taught hundreds of students how to be highly dedicated student-athletes. The work ethic and honorable play of Coach Hartman’s teams have produced results that are remarkable for any school, let alone one of our stature: 5 Colonial League titles, 10 District XI titles, and 2 PIAA State championships. Bob has long been a leader of his peers, and was named Coach of the Year twice by the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association and was also selected as National Coach of the Year in 2014 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Bob would be the first one to tell you, however, that it is the players who deserve the credit. And as any Moravian Academy student who joined one of Coach Hartman’s teams would tell you, success starts in practice - and often on Saturday mornings!

We will miss Bob this year but we can be happy knowing that he launches into this next chapter with an eye on personal and family health, intent on spending more time with his grandchildren when he is not cheering on the Moravian Academy Lions from the sidelines.

Sincerely,