I grew up in Walpole, Massachusetts, with my parents and two brothers. I observed my mother’s enthusiasm for teaching and decided early on that I wanted to become a teacher. I attended Providence College on a full athletic scholarship and played four seasons of Division I basketball in the Big East. After earning my Elementary/Special Education degree, I moved south with my parents and joined the McLean faculty as a grade 2 teacher. I’ve been teaching at McLean since 1999, and I still love teaching young children. They look forward to coming to school every day, are eager to learn new things, and continually amaze me with their thoughts and ideas. McLean has been the perfect fit for me because I can combine my love of teaching with my lifelong love for sports by coaching at both the Middle and Upper School levels. In 2005, I traveled to India with former McLean art teacher, Nomita Advani. We worked with students in the International SOS Children’s Village in Madras. We also traveled to Coonoor and worked at Udhavi, a place for children with significant physical and developmental disabilities. This wonderful experience was made possible by McLean School’s Nancy Milstein and Peter L. and Friends Funds for Faculty Enrichment. In 2007, I was honored to receive the A. Hamilton Bishop III Award. Additionally, I am trained in Responsive Classroom, Orton-Gillingham, executive functioning strategies, and SPACE in Schools (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions).
My students love studying the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Each year, they pick an animal to research and write a report on. Then, they create the animals to put in our rainforest. Finally, they make an iMovie trailer. Students enjoy coming back to see what animals are created each year.
I have two beautiful nieces whom I adore, and I treasure my time with my family and friends. I also love staying active and participating on a number of athletic teams. I truly enjoy coming to work at McLean each and every day. While teaching, my life has been enriched by the parents and students I have worked with and the friends I have made.