The School Connecting My Family, Mark DiFlorio

ISF - THE SCHOOL CONNECTING MY FAMILY

MARK DIFLORIO, ISF COVER TEACHER

Ibegan working at the ISF upper school as a cover teacher during the fall term of 2020. I had been living in Italy for 2 years during which time my 2 children attended the lower school. Allegra is currently in 6th grade and Theo is in 4th grade. In fact, my family and I moved to Italy primarily so that our children could attend ISF. You see, my family has a storied history with ISF and my working here is a continuation of the story that more deeply connects our lives.

My wife, Eugenia (Lilla) Fiumi DiFlorio, was born in Florence to an American mother and Italian father. She grew up in Santo Spirito and after 2 years in Italian public schools and another 2 in American public schools, Lilla ended up attending ISF beginning in 5th grade. At that time the entire school was located at the current lower school campus and her graduating class had a total of 13 students. This was the beginning of a long and fortuitous relationship with Italy and ISF. Her brother Morgan and sister Elettra followed in her footsteps, attending and graduating from ISF. At one point Lilla’s mother Terry taught Italian at the school and at another time she taught 4th grade. I was born and raised in the United States, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For undergraduate school I studied physics and for my graduate degree I studied jazz performance in New Orleans, Louisiana. While being a performing and recording musician for most of my adult life, teaching has always been a piece of the puzzle, a wonderful way to share what has been shared with me, a way to connect with creative children and families and also a way to supplement my income. I have been teaching for over 30 years in a variety of volunteer, scholastic and private settings so it felt natural for me to join the team here at ISF. And what a pleasure it has been.

The quality and diversity of students and faculty at our school is remarkable. As a cover teacher my main responsibility is to provide a continuity of learning for the students when a teacher is unable to be present. I also support the inclusion department and individual teachers when possible and supervise snack and lunch when necessary. With an expertise in music as well as a strong academic background in math and science I have covered many classes. This has allowed me to quickly get to know just about the entire staff and student body.

Fast forward through university, careers, marriage and children (all in the United States) and here we are again. We returned to Florence in the summer of 2018 to have our children attend ISF and absorb the culture and language of Florence, Italy. And by “we” I mean all of us, Terry, Morgan and his entire family, and Elettra who lives close by. Morgan has 2 of his children at the lower school, with his 3rd beginning next year. As a family we have most of our adventures together. Whether it’s supporting middle school students adjusting to a new campus and the increase in work intensity, preparing young highschool students for the IB program or guiding graduating students as they finish and look to the future, I enjoy being a support for all students and staff. And as I provide support and continuity in learning for students and staff, ISF provides support and continuity for me and my family, in my learning and my life.

Mark and his family, Christmas 2020