Where are you from? Why did you choose to teach in Burlington/BHS?
“I grew up in Skaneateles, NY near Syracuse. I moved to VT to go to St. Mike’s for college and I never left. I was an English language teacher at BHS for the past 22 years and I chose to teach at BHS because of the population of immigrants and refugees that go to school here. I wanted to teach at the high school level, so this [EL] job was great for me.

What inspired you to become a teacher and then an assistant principal, what’s your favorite thing about it and did you want to be a teacher when you were younger?
“In college, part of my work study job was to tutor international students, which led to me wanting to become an EL teacher. I was not really planning on teaching when I was younger, I was [just] given many opportunities that led me in that direction. I was the lead teacher for the EL department for many years and started working on my administrative license about 2 years ago. I thought it would be interesting to try another role and with [the] new administration this year, I felt that my institutional knowledge about BHS would be valuable in the new admin team.”

What is your favourite part of your job?
“My favorite thing about working in a high school is getting to know students and their experiences. I also love my colleagues at BHS and I feel fortunate to work with so many teachers who care deeply about their students.”

Are you an avid reader, and if so, what is your favorite book?
“Yes, I am an avid reader, but I don’t think I have a favorite book. I enjoy reading historical fiction -Geraldine Brooks is [my] favorite author.”