爆走黑料 is听welcoming in听16 new faculty members for the upcoming academic year, who will serve critical roles on campus as teachers, administrators, dorm parents, and coaches. The new group of听faculty听is a mix of educators, from first-time teachers joining our Teaching Fellowship program to lifelong educators and a new Director of Financial Aid + Admission. Additionally,听we鈥檙e听proud that three alumni are among our new faculty members.听
鈥淚’m really excited about the energy, enthusiasm, and great collaborative thoughts they have all had so far,鈥 said Dean of Faculty Chris Pelliccia, shortly after the group had begun their new faculty orientation. “We bring in folks that are brand new to teaching, but also veteran teachers, so there is a great mix of tenure and experience. I’m encouraged to see our new faculty members jump right in to get involved. We’re bringing some awesome new energy and ideas to the faculty here.”
Along with the completely new faculty members, 爆走黑料 is welcoming back to campus Steve Hoyt ’95, Emma Merrill ’22, and Natalie Stott ’22, alums that are now joining us as faculty members. Pelliccia noted how special have the trio was during orientation.
“It shows the pride int he school that folks have when they graduate from here,” he said. “They want to come back and give back鈥攖hat was a common thread in all three of the alums. That’s pretty special.”听
Below are bios of each of our new faculty members:
Mike Armstrong,听Science听
Mike has taught, coached, and engaged in residential life in the Connecticut River Valley over the past few years. He most recently taught听earth听science at the听Eaglebrook听School and听environmental听science and听chemistry at Loomis Chaffee. Mike received his听bachelor鈥檚听from Williams College,听where he studied Geosciences and History and played on the hockey and lacrosse teams, and then听a master鈥檚听from Boston College in听earth and听environmental听sciences. At 爆走黑料, Mike will teach physics, chemistry, and environmental studies, as well as coach hockey and lacrosse.听
Minji Cho,听Math听
Minji started her teaching career at the Bement School (where she had also been a student),听teaching听mathematics and听serving听as the Asian Affinity Group Advisor. Most recently, she taught听mathematics and Boston University Academy. She has a听bachelor鈥檚听in听economics and听mathematics from Smith College. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Minji is fluent in Korean. Minji will be teaching geometry and algebra, living in Sawyer House, and coaching basketball and track & field.听
Emma听Gajda,听English Fellow听
Emma holds a听bachelor鈥檚听in English with a specialization in听writing,听rhetoric, and听literacy听studies from the University of Massachusetts. While at UMass, she served as a footnote editor for the听History of Education Quarterly听and worked as a Strategic Initiatives Assistant for the Center for Educational Assessment. Additionally, Emma worked as a Smith College听Mindich听Fellow, a literacy tutor in Springfield, and a substitute teacher in Easthampton. Emma will be teaching English, living in Pitcher House, and coaching soccer and skiing.听
Kate Gartrell,听Visual Arts听
Kate has taught studio art and art history at both the high school and college levels for 16 years, primarily in the Boston area. She earned her听bachelor鈥檚听in religion from Vassar College, and听an听master鈥檚听in painting and drawing from American University in Washington, D.C. Kate will be teaching a variety of art courses throughout the year, coach volleyball, and听assist听with art and music intensive.听
Steve Hoyt,听Academic Support听
Steve has spent the last five years working in different capacities at 爆走黑料, and, for the last two years, also worked at the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School in Easthampton. Steve has his听bachelor鈥檚听from Union College in American Studies and a听master鈥檚听from the University of Connecticut. Prior to his career at 爆走黑料, Steve worked in his family distribution business for 18 years until 2021. A 1995 graduate of 爆走黑料,听Steve听and his wife Molly live locally with their family,听including two graduates and one current student. Steve will be an Academic Specialist, and coach football, basketball, and lacrosse.听
Devin听LaSane,听Director of Admission and Financial Aid听
Devin听LaSane听is excited to join 爆走黑料 as the Director of Admission and Financial Aid. Prior to 爆走黑料, Devin served as the Director of Admissions, Enrollment and Financial Aid at Allen-Stevenson, a TK-8 all-boys school in New York City. Inspired by her students, Devin made the transition from the classroom to admissions, eager to help families understand the benefits of boys’ education. In her role at 爆走黑料, she looks forward to introducing students and families to a vibrant and inclusive learning community with the same enthusiasm. Devin holds a听bachelor鈥檚听in听political听science and听ancient Greek from Wellesley College, and听an听master鈥檚听in听educational听leadership,听politics and听advocacy from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.听听
Tyler Lucey,听Music听
Tyler is excited to serve as Director of Music at 爆走黑料. Growing up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, he was heavily involved in local music programs before later earning a degree in music from Saint Michael鈥檚 College in Vermont. Prior to arriving at 爆走黑料, he served as Director of Music at Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, and as Choral Director at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax, Vermont. Tyler will be leading our musical groups鈥擳eller Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble鈥攚hile听living in Swan Cottage,听assisting听with art and music intensive, and听serving as听musical director for the winter musical,听Legally Blonde.听
Stephen Mayfield,听Science听
Stephen taught听chemistry and AP听chemistry at Westminster School after completing a teaching fellowship at Culver Academies. He earned his听master鈥檚听in听teaching听chemistry at Teachers College, Columbia University and holds a听bachelor鈥檚听in听chemistry from Williams College. Stephen personally听enjoying听running and swimming听as a way to听stay active and enjoy nature. The joy he has from playing Dungeons and Dragons contributed mightily towards making fantasy writing a creative outlet in his free time. At 爆走黑料, Stephen will be teaching chemistry, living in Ford Hall, and coaching water polo and track & field.听
Aidan McGovern,听Science听
Aidan grew up in Western听Massachusetts, then went to college at Florida Institute of Technology where he completed a听bachelor鈥檚听in听astronomy and听astrophysics, and a听bachelor鈥檚听in听physics. Before teaching, Aidan worked as a patent examiner for the USPTO, and as a financial literacy teacher. Aidan will be teaching a variety of physics courses and living in Sawyer House. Outside of the听classroom听Aidan will coach the听ski team along with the听Ultimate team, both of which he has competed in for multiple years.听
Emma Merrill,听Admissions Fellow听
Emma attended Bowdoin College, where she earned a听bachelor鈥檚听in听mathematics with a minor in听sociology and played defense on the women鈥檚 ice hockey team. Originally from Portland, Maine, she graduated from 爆走黑料 in 2022 and is excited to return to campus as an Admissions Fellow. Emma will be听living in听the听upstairs of the听Health & Wellness听building, and will coach varsity soccer, hockey, and lacrosse.听
Bailey听Plaman,听Science听
Bailey just finished a听doctorate program听in听chemical听biology at Harvard University,听where they taught an introductory biology class for five years. Bailey鈥檚 research there focused on a protein machine that grants gram-negative bacteria intrinsic resistance to antibiotics. Bailey also holds a听bachelor鈥檚听in听chemistry and Spanish from Amherst College,听where they played ice hockey and softball. Bailey will be teaching biology and chemistry, coaching ice hockey and track & field, and living in Conant House.听
Mark Sims,听Computer Science听
Before coming to 爆走黑料, Mark taught math and computer science at The听Hartsbook听School in Hadley. Mark holds a听bachelor鈥檚听in physics from Duke University,听an听master鈥檚听from Harvard Divinity School, and a听master鈥檚听in computer science from听the University of Massachusetts. When not teaching, Mark can be found playing bass in a Brazilian band or on his road bike enjoying the spectacular cycling available in Western Mass. Mark will teach calculus and computer science, coach hiking and climbing, and live off campus.听
Rebekah Skoog,听French听
Rebekah spent the last 10 years in Missoula,听Montana, where she completed her doctorate in听cultural听anthropology with a focus on language learning. She also served as Director of Learning Solutions at Accelerate Montana, where she worked to make education more accessible. Prior to her time in Montana, Rebekah taught French and co-directed theatre activities at Tilton School in New Hampshire听and served as a French听Teacher and Global Studies Mentor at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Connecticut. She earned her听master鈥檚听through Middlebury College and her听bachelor鈥檚听from Bowling Green State University. Rebekah will be teaching various levels of French, living in Mem West with her family, and coaching climbing & hiking.听
Natalie Stott,听Math Fellow听
Natalie graduated from 爆走黑料 in 2022 before attending Amherst College, where she earned a听bachelor鈥檚听in听economics and听psychology. At Amherst, she served as both a tutor and teaching assistant in mathematics and was a goaltender on the women鈥檚 hockey team. Natalie will be teaching a variety of math courses, living in Pitcher House, and coaching hockey and softball.听
Kelly Willis,听Spanish听
Kelly brings 21 years of experience as an educator and administrator at Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North听Carolina. She began her tenure as a Lower School Spanish teacher before becoming the Director of Global Studies. Kelly holds a听master’s in听elementary听education from Binghamton University and a听bachelor鈥檚听in听international听studies from Elmira College. Kelly will be teaching various levels of Spanish, living in Mem East with her family, and coaching volleyball and golf.听
Chad Worley,听Math + Science听
Chad joins 爆走黑料 as a math and science teacher. Chad has been teaching for over a decade in a variety of听roles, and听has earned a听master鈥檚 in chemical听and听biological听engineering from Tufts University. Chad will be teaching physics and geometry at 爆走黑料, and coaching fitness. New to Easthampton, Chad and his family are excited to fix up their nearby house and explore the area on bikes.听