Litchfield

Welcomes

New Staff 2015

New Teacher Orientation

Danielle DruryPosition and School: Pre-K Graduated From: Bachelor’s ~ Early Childhood

Education ~ Eastern CT State University

Fun Fact: “I’ve been skydiving.”Favorite Book this Summer: I Am Malala, [Malala Yousafzai]

“Why am I a teacher? I love children

and watching them learn and grow is amazing!

Jennifer Nichols

Position and School: Grade 2

Graduated From: Masters ~ Elementary Education

~ Quinnipiac University

Favorite Book this Summer: Lies We Tell Ourselves, [Cortney

S. Warren]

Fun Fact: “I took dance lessons for 20 years.”

Why I Became a Teacher: “I want to make a difference

in the lives of my students and watch

them blossom into amazing, caring

people.”

Katie FrankPosition and School: Speech and Language PathologistGraduated From: Masters ~ Communication

Disorders ~ Southern CT State UniversityFun Fact: “I was a Division 1 Scholar

Athlete in swimming.”Favorite Movie this Summer: Dog Genius Why I Became a Teacher: “I want to inspire kids to

love learning.”

Michael BucciPosition and School: LIS/HS Art Graduated From: MA ~ Illustration ~ Academy of Art University, CA; MA ~ Art Education, Central CT State University

Fun Fact: “I went to over 10 museums this summer.”

Favorite Book this Summer: We Should All Be Feminists, [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie]

Why I Became a Teacher: “To spread my love of art and the art world and to have children look at the world through a creative lens.”

Helena Morris

Position and School: Grade 5

Graduated From: Bachelors ~ St. Olaf College,

MN; Master’s ~ St. Josephs

Favorite Book this Summer: Yes, Please, [Amy Poeler]

Fun Fact: “I have performed [in theater[ in

Minnesota.”Why I became a teacher: “I like sharing things I

love and the things I have learned with

students.”

Katie Gallucci

Position and School: LIS Special Education

Graduated From: Bachelors ~ Developmental

Psychology ~ University of Pittsburg

Fun Fact: “I went to college with a pre-dental

focus.”Favorite Movie this Summer: Ant Man

Why I Became a Teacher: “I became a teacher

because I wanted to help students

make achievements they never thought

they could.”

Sarah Norwood

Position and School: MS Special Education

Graduated From: Masters ~ Special Education

~ UCONN

Favorite Book this Summer: Pride & Prejudice, [Jane

Austen]

Fun Fact: “I’m from North Carolina and

love trying new things.”

Why I Became a Teacher: “… to help students

become the people they want to be

by teaching them the skills they need

and want.”

Jacob GioiaPosition and School: MS Special Education

Graduated From: Bachelors ~ Special

Education; Bachelors ~ English

Literature; Southern CT State

UniversityFun Fact: “I’m a good cook.”Favorite Movie this Summer: Jurassic World

“I became a teacher to pursue my

passion for being a positive role model

and guiding influence.”

Michael SadejPosition and School: Grade 7 English Graduated From: Bachelors & Masters ~ NEAG Program ~ UCONNFavorite Book this Summer: A Collection of Short Stories by Edogawa RanpoFun Fact: “I can speak, write, and read some Japanese.”Why I Became a Teacher: “… to spread my personal love of learning.”

Melissa Swanson

Position and School: Grade 8 English

Graduated From: MS ~ Education ~ Long

Island University, Brooklyn

Favorite Book this Summer: Teach Like A Pirate,

[Dave Burgess]

Fun Fact: “I have lived and taught in

Hong Kong.”

Why I Became a Teacher: “… Because I love

children, especially adolescents, and

want to make a difference in their

lives.”

Sandy Carlson Position and School: HS EnglishGraduated From: MA ~ Literature ~ University College, Dublin, IrelandFavorite Movie this Summer: Left 4 Dead Fun Fact: “I love turtles.”Why I Became a Teacher: “… because I love to work with kids and to foster in them

an appreciation for the power and beauty of language.”

Emily French

Position and School: HS Biology

Graduated From: Bachelors ~ Biochemistry ~

Northeastern University Honors

ProgramFun Fact: “I have a 7 month old son named

Sam.”Favorite Book this Summer: The God of Small Things,

[Arundhati Roy]

Why I Became a Teacher: “I love to work with my

students.”

Martin AriolaPosition and School: School Psychologist

Graduated From: 6 th Year & Masters ~ School

Psychology ~ Fairfield University

Fun Fact: “I worked as a boat builder for 3

years before becoming a school

psychologist.”Favorite Book this Summer: Thoughts Without a

Thinker, [Mark Epstein]Why I Became a Teacher: “… to make the world a

better place.”

Michael PascentoPosition and School: Dean of Students

Graduated From: 6 th Year ~ Educational

Administration ~ Southern CT State

University; Doctorate ~ Nova

Southeastern University, Florida

Favorite Book this Summer: Mindset, [Carol Dweck]

Fun Fact: “I am a runner.”Why I became a teacher: “To impact all students of

all ability levels.”

Robert Caldwell

Position and School: HS Latin

Graduated From: Ph.D. ~ Classical Studies ~

University of Michigan

Fun Fact: “I used to work in Petra, in Jordan.”

Favorite Book this Summer: Horace’s Odes

“I love the Latin language and I like

helping students connect Latin to their

lives and experiences.”

Bethany Raymond

Position and School: HS Special Education

Graduated From: Bachelors & Masters ~

East Stroudsburg University, PA

Fun Fact: “I was a comedian.”

Favorite Movie this Summer: The Gruffulo

Why I Became a Teacher: “I enjoy caring for

others.”

Wendy Pena

Position and School: HS Spanish

Graduated From: Masters in Education,

University of Texas ~ Arlington

Fun Fact: “I was a comedian.”

Favorite Movie this Summer: The Gruffalo

Why I Became a Teacher: “I enjoy experiencing

students’ journey when learning a

language.”

Jillian KuraskaPosition and School: HS Guidance

Graduated From: Two Masters ~ Counseling &

Mental Health Services ~ University of

Pennsylvania Jillian is returning to Litchfield following

a successful long-term substitute

position in our high school guidance

department.

We are also welcoming:

Kelly ReardonKatie CimminoTom Simmons

Kristina OlmsteadTheresa Cirullo-Vernaglia

Picture courtesy of

Doug Parker – Litchfield

BZ