NEIRAD
New Teachers: 2009
The DHS staff saw the addition of 14 new teachers in the fall of 2008. This year a tight economy and tight budget has seen a much smaller group of new hires. Four teachers will be joining the ranks in the art, math, science, foreign language departments. Neirad caught up with them during their orientation to give readers a glimpse into the top new teaching recruits to enrich the DHS staff.
By Claire Dickson, Britt Gordon, Kelsey Ott, and Emily Pik- 09/09
NEIRAD enilno edition | printer friendly
Aniko Horvath
The Art Department is excited to add a new staff member to its ranks this fall. DHS is fortunate to recruit a respected artist who will continue to show her work while teaching students printmaking and photography.
Hometown:
New Haven, CT and Brooklyn, NY
Where Did You Go to School?
Pratt Institute (undergrad and grad)
Job before DHS:
Educational Center for Arts in New Haven
Favorite Authors:
Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Isabel Allende
Hobbies:
Ms. Horvath makes jewelry
Favorite Type of Art to Teach:
Printmaking and Photography
Goals for the Year:
Excited to be in a new school with people who care about learning.
Something You May Not Know About Me:
Ms. Horvath is Hungarian and Dominican and first generation American. She has a show coming up at the New Haven arts Council (called Heavy Metal) and at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven (called Cultural Passages)
Stephanie Mancini-Stevenson
As you filter back into school, be sure to say "Hola" to Ms. Stephanie Mancini-Stevenson up on the third floor. She is replacing Ms. Ellen Steele in the Spanish department and will be teaching freshmen.
Hometown:
Fairfield, CT
Where Did You Go to School?
Undergrad – Fairfield University
Grad - Southern Connecticut State University
Job Prior to DHS:
Has been teaching high school for 14 years, first in Connecticut Region 14, then Greenwich
Hobbies:
Ms. Mancini-Stevenson loves to travel, read, and play volleyball or go running, but most of her time is spent with her 15-month-old daughter.
Favorite TV Show:
Loves to watch "Sid the Science Kid" with her daughter. For her own enjoyment, Ms Mancini-Stevenson emjoys ordering movies from Netflix.
Advice to Students:
"Go for it, try it all!"
Lauren
DiStefano
Along with Ms. Seaman, Ms. Lauren DiStefano is another new face in the math department. As an intern, she will not be your teacher, but she might sit in on your math class to work on her teaching skills.
Hometown:
Grew up in Berkeley Heights, NJ
Where Did You Go to School?
Undergrad – Studied math and Italian at Sacred Heart University
Grad - Currently attending Sacred Heart
Job Prior to DHS:
Student -- Ms. DiStefano is a first-year intern
Hobbies:
Likes to read, work out, and do outdoorsy stuff like camping and hiking
Favorite TV Shows:
"Friends" and "I Love Lucy"
Advice to Students:
"Ask questions!”
Cathy Ermann
Throughout the past few years chemistry teachers have come and gone, but Cathy Ermann has no intention of going anywhere anytime soon. “I’m here for the long-run",said the new chemistry teacher who will replace Mr. David Hoyt after he retired last June.
Hometown:
Queens, NY
Where Did You Go to School?
Undergrad – Western Connecticut State University (double major in Biochemistry and Secondary Education)
Associates - Electronics degree from Nassau Community College
Masters - Currently finishing grad degree in Educational Technology at WCSU
Job Prior to DHS:
She was a quality control chemist for Betoukian Research in Danbury. “I made synthetic fragrances, flavors, and pheromones.” She then taught chemistry at Mahopac High School in New York. This will be her fourth year of teaching.
Why Did You Choose DHS?
“My friend who used to work as a chemistry teacher here, Ms. Brown, had to move closer to home because of her children, but always told me positive things about the school.”
Favorite TV Shows:
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I watch the 8'oclock showing the night before. It's very comical."
Something You May Not Know:
Ms Ermann goes to fiddle camps. “I’m trying to learn how to fiddle. I have a passion for mountain music.” She also loves to hike and bicycle, and is learning how to knit.
Jackie Seaman
As Mr. Michael Sullivan steps into his new role as assistant principal, he leaves a void in the Mathematics Department. Jackie Seaman, who will be teaching Algebra 2 this upcoming year, has come to fill that void. She is a parasailing, beach-loving, die-hard Red Sox fan who is excited to work in Darien and to get to know her new students.
Hometown:
Avon, CT
Where Did You Go to School?
Undergrad – Muhlenberg College
Grad – Received her Master's degree in math education at Cambridge College
Job Prior to DHS:
Ms. Seaman taught at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts for three years and then at East Hanover Middle School in New Jersey for one year.
Why Did You Choose DHS?
She recently got engaged, and because her fiancé is working in New York City, she had to find a job closer to the city. Ms Seaman is also happy to be back in her home state.
Goals for the Year:
“To meet a lot of the students, to have an impact on my students, and to have my students succeed.”
Something You May Not Know:
Ms. Seaman loves to volunteer and she used to tutor inner-city kids. She also enjoys watching college basketball, especially the UConn Huskies.
Laura LaPonte
Hometown:
Greenwich, CT
Where Did You Go to School?
Undergrad- University of Delaware
Grad- Currently attending the University of Bridgeport where she is studying to become a high school English teacher.
Jobs Prior to DHS:
Ms. LaPonte worked in public relations in the fashion industry for the French design house Celine. She also worked in marketing for Broadway and the Big Apple Circus in New York City.
Goals for the Year:
To learn as much as she can from her new teaching colleagues and take time to observe their individual teaching styles.
Something Interesting about Me:
Ms. LaPonte is an Italian citizen.
Hobbies:
Running, traveling, writing, and going out to dinner.
Places Traveled:
Italy, Tokyo, Singapore, Bali, and she studied abroad in London.
Favorite Shows:
"Project Runway," (not surprising since Ms LaPonte worked in fashion!) "The Wonder Years" and "Top Chef."
