MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY & STAFF UP CLOSE
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UP CLOS E
JARED SCHOTT T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
“ The energy, chaos, highly charged emotions and unpredictability of the
middle school-age child makes me love coming to work each day. No day is like the last; every episode involving a middle school student — positive, negative or neutral — is critical in guiding him or her to be a better selfadvocate, a life-long learner, and a confident and caring community member. To foster efficient and effective learners and productive community members, a good middle school must create an emotionally, physically and socially safe environment while encouraging intellectual risk taking.” JARED SCHOTT has led MB’s middle school for 13 years. He began at Moses Brown as a math teacher on Team II, has taught English and history, and coached soccer, basketball, baseball, and robotics teams during his tenure. Jared truly understands the middle school years and has dedicated his 20+ years of professional work to support the needs of this age group. He teaches MB’s Holocaust Studies course and serves on most school-wide committees, from diversity to wellness.
D E B B Y N E E LY TEAM ONE (SIXTH GRADE): ENGLISH T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
“ My early experience in other cultures has
informed all of my teaching. I appreciate Moses Brown’s emphasis on valuing the light in each individual child and I applaud the school’s commitment to growing in diversity. The curiosity and openness of middle school children is a daily delight.”
DEBBY NEELY has taught at MB for 27 years. She was raised in West Africa and graduated from an international school in Alexandria, Egypt. Debby incorporates her understanding and appreciation of other cultures by teaching a variety of multicultural literature and helping her students to view things from multiple perspectives. Debby was the 2004 Teacher of the Year - Rhode Island Council of Teachers of English.
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C A R O LY N BUONANNO CHASE T E A M
O N E :
H I S T O R Y
CAROLYN BUONANNO-CHASE started teaching Latin at MB in 1998. She is an academic team leader and mother of four MB students: ’15, ’16, ’18, and ’21. A graduate of Lincoln School, Carolyn was a counselor in RISE Camp as a teenager.
“‘I don’t know how you do it!’ That is how a conversation usually begins about being a middle school teacher. Inevitably, I know that more probing questions about teaching at this level will follow. For 16 years, I have loved teaching this curious and everchanging age group. I feel privileged to be part of the journey that students and their parents will take over the course of their three years with us. Teaching ancient history gives me the opportunity to engage in conversations about diverse backgrounds, how change happens, and what matters to people year after year and century upon century. With this context, and with my own experience as the mother of four, I continuously watch in awe as my students walk the tightrope of this transitional time in their lives.”
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PAT R I C I A S AVA G E T E A M
O N E :
M A T H E M A T I C S
PAT R I C I A S AVA G E h a s t a u g h t m a t h a t M o s e s B r o w n f o r t w o d e c a d e s . “ I t i s a g r e a t p l e a s u r e t o t e a c h a t M o s e s B r o w n ,” s h e s a y s . “ I e n j o y w o r k i n g w i t h m y c o l l e a g u e s and interacting with the bright and interesting adolescent boys and girls of middle school age . This is an interesting and often exciting time in their lives. It is fun to h e l p s t u d e n t s n av i g a t e t h e i r w ay t h ro u g h t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f m a t h e m a t i c s a s we l l a s t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f l i f e .” P a t r i c i a h a s b e e n o n q u i t e a f e w t e a m a n d m u s i c g r o u p t r i p s w i t h M B s t u d e n t s a n d s ay s i t i s a lw ay s rew a rd i n g t o h e a r t h e p o s i t i ve c o m m e n t s o f s t r a n g e r s c o n c e r n i n g M o s e s B r o w n ’s t h o u g h t f u l a n d w e l l - b e h a v e d s t u d e n t s . P a t r i c i a is advisor for the Robotics Club. She has her B.A. from Queens College and is the m o t h e r o f E l i z a b e t h ’ 8 5 , Ke v i n ’ 8 7 , C h r i s ’ 0 1 a n d T i m ’ 0 4 . P a t r i c i a r e c e n t l y s p e n t a s a b b a t i c a l y e a r, t e a c h i n g a t S i d w e l l F r i e n d s S c h o o l i n Wa s h i n g t o n , D. C .
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MIKE DEANGELO is in his 15th year of teaching at MB. He also coaches middle school football and softball. Mike has used Miller and Burton grants to enrich h i s t e a c h i n g , eve n t r ave l i n g to Costa Rica to study volcanos for his volcanicscience unit. He is the parent of two MB students (‘15 and ’19).
MIKE DEANGELO T E A M
O N E :
S C I E N C E
“Middle school kids have a sense of wonder and awe about the world that inspires me to be a better teacher. They make interesting and humorous connections between what they are learning and their own experience. They love to experiment and get their hands dirty and ask the most fascinating questions. Once, when explaining how all matter is composed of vibrating atoms — from the chairs we sit in to the cells that make up our brains — a student asked: “So Mike, is that why we get headaches? All those atoms banging around in our heads?” In middle school, we have the opportunity and flexibility to explore these questions and connect to where the kids are. Every day here is a new and exciting adventure for me and, while my body keeps getting older and my hair less abundant, being around a bunch of 11and 12-year-olds keeps me young at heart.”
LISA ARDENTE T E A M O N E : L AT I N T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
“I love teaching middle school. I enjoy their wit, excitement, energy and curiosity. It’s a privilege to watch their self-confidence grow and personalities emerge through the three years. The silliness and fun around middle school is always present. Every day I come to ‘work’ and leave my ‘job’ laughing and smiling. I believe that it’s my job to instill in my students a sense of confidence, the ability to achieve in the face of adversity or difficulty, and the ability to advocate for themselves. I want my classroom to be a safe haven for my students to be able to feel free to speak their minds and take a risk academically. I hope to teach my students that mistakes bring about valuable learning experiences. Teaching has been the most rewarding experience I have had as a career.” L I S A A R D E N T E i s m i d d l e s c h o o l l i a s i o n w i t h M B ’s w o r l d l a n g u a g e d e p a r t m e n t a n d c o a c h o f t h e m i d d l e s c h o o l M o c k Tr i a l t e a m . S h e i s t h e m o t h e r o f t h r e e M B a l u m n i a n d o n e c u r r e n t s t u d e n t . A g r a d u a t e o f We l l e s l e y, L i s a e n j o y e d a p r e v i o u s c a r e e r a s a n a t t o r n e y. W h e n t e a c h i n g c a l l e d , s h e turned to her love of Latin which she had studied as an undergraduate .
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DA N O H L TEAM TWO (7TH & 8TH GRADE): MATHEMATICS
“I come to work each morning with my three children, who attend Moses Brown, at my side. I delight in the fact that my children skip into school. As a teacher who values intellectual and moral education, I want my own children to flourish and be excited about their academic journeys. When I see the joy in their eyes, I am recommitted to developing the same level of excitement in my own students daily, knowing that enthusiastic students become successful students. I aim to send happy, productive, curious and excited students home to parents, confident that I have a most rewarding and enjoyable job.” DA N O H L i s a H o l y C r o s s g r a d u a t e a n d a l o n g t i m e f a c u l t y m e m b e r, o n s t a f f s i n c e 1 9 9 5 . I n a d d i t i o n t o h i s r o l e s a s a c a d e m i c t e a m l e a d e r a n d s o c c e r / b a s k e t b a l l c o a c h , D a n c o - l e d M B ’s NEASC reaccreditation effor ts and was selected to par ticipate in the 2011-13 cohor t of the F r i e n d s C o u n c i l o n E d u c a t i o n ’s I n s t i t u t e f o r E n g a g i n g L e a d e r s h i p i n F r i e n d s S c h o o l s . D a n a n d h i s w i f e A l i s a h a v e t h r e e c h i l d r e n , a l l i n t h e M B l o w e r s c h o o l : X a v i e r, B r i g i d , a n d Z o e .
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MAUREEN NAGLE T E A M
T W O :
E N G L I S H
“I love the dynamic nature of my role as a member of our middle school faculty. Each day I get to teach in an invigorating environment with eager students and with colleagues who assist in my enthusiastic efforts to extend writing instruction beyond our English classroom. Together we design lessons, provide clear instruction and develop high-interest, cross-curricular projects that inspire students to reach their potential. When I work one-on-one with our young writers during the writing process, I challenge them to push themselves to develop their unique writers’ voices by asking questions that explore their interests and curiosities. Throughout this collaborative process, our middle school students can explore their endless creative potential, and I am ever-inspired by their growth throughout the year.” M AU R E E N N AG L E h a s u s e d M i l l e r a n d B u r t o n g r a n t s t o e x p a n d h e r t e a c h i n g a t M o s e s B row n a n d h a s s e r v e d o n M B ’s G l o b a l S t e w a r d s h i p Ta s k F o r c e . A g r a d u a t e o f P r o v i d e n c e C o l l e g e , M a u r e e n h a s h e r m a s t e r ’s d e g r e e f r o m Tr i n i t y C o l l e g e i n D u b l i n . S h e i s t h e m i d d l e s c h o o l l i a s i o n t o M B ’s E n g l i s h department and coaches middle school track.
JON GOLD T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
T E A M T W O : H I S T O RY
“I love teaching middle school. For me, students are caught between the perfect combination of capacity and immaturity. Middle school students are eager to be challenged, and equally eager to learn new skills and strategies for meeting those challenges. We get to study history, but also learn how to study history — what questions to ask and how to go about answering them through research and investigative inquiry. In my classroom, no question goes unasked, no issue unnoticed, and no voice is left out. Modeling this kind of exhaustive inquiry — and making it a habit — is the way we teach students how to be thoughtful scholars and develop compassion and tolerance. At Moses Brown, we get to teach our students how to be virtuous, curious and open-minded. I walk into school each day eager for whatever might occur.” JON GOLD coaches middle school boys’ lacrosse and girls’ soccer and helped pilot the new f a c u l t y e v a l u a t i o n p r o t o c o l . J o n i s a g r a d u a t e o f B r o w n U n i v e r s i t y, w h e r e h e c o n c e n t r a t e d i n r e l i g i o u s s t u d i e s w i t h a f o c u s o n c o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a c t i c e . H e r e c e n t l y r e c e i v e d h i s m a s t e r ’s i n i n d e p e n d e n t s c h o o l l e a d e r s h i p f r o m t h e K l i n g e n s t e i n C e n t e r a t Te a c h e r s C o l l e g e , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y. H e a l s o i s a b o a r d m e m b e r f o r S o u t h s i d e C o m m u n i t y L a n d Tr u s t .
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K AT I E ( E VA N S ) G O L D M A N ’ 0 6 T E A M
T W O :
S C I E N C E
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A B O V E )
“I graduated from Moses Brown and dreamed of coming back to this place! It is through my advisor and teachers at Moses Brown that I learned the power of giving others enough confidence to be the people they want to be, and make the changes they want to see in the world. They empowered me through learning, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to do the same for my students.” K AT I E G O L D M A N i s a g r a d u a t e o f B r o w n U n i v e r s i t y w h e r e s h e m a j o r e d i n n e u r o s c i e n c e / a n t h r o p o l o g y. S h e c o a c h e s M B ’s R o b o t i c s Te a m a n d g i r l s ’ o u t d o o r t r a c k . K a t i e p r e v i o u s l y t a u g h t a t B o s t o n Tr i n i t y A c a d e m y a n d a l s o c o - a u t h o r e d t h e a w a r d - w i n n i n g G o A s k Yo u r Te e n a g e r c a r d s .
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“Most of my teaching at MB is with middle school students, and I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. There’s always something new and exciting going on with adolescents, and no two days are ever the same. They have a unique perspective on life, and a sense of humor is a must if you are to navigate the year successfully. The best part of the year for me is in September, when the entire middle school goes on Team Trips. For the past 23 years, I’ve been lucky enough to go on the Team Two Trip to East Madison, N.H. It is a beautiful setting, complete with a lake reminiscent of the movie On Golden Pond. We’re surrounded by woods and an endless sky, the perfect setting to get to know each other. My two favorite parts of the trip are the night hike, when the N.H. sky is in all its glory, and the day hike to the top of Mount Chocorua (shown). I’ve found over the years that you really can get to know someone in just one day — if that day includes a seven-hour hike! The Team Trip provides a wonderful transition for me into the work of a new academic year.”
JIM SKILLINGS TEAM TWO: PHYSICAL/HEALTH EDUCATION “SKILLS” and students recently celebrated the planting of a tree on campus, dedicated in honor of his 30 years teaching at MB. Jim was named Faculty Member of the Ye a r i n 2 0 0 9 , h o n o r e d b y t h e M o s e s B r o w n A l u m n i Association.
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K AT I E D E N OY E L L E coaches middle school f i e l d h o c k e y, b a s k e t b a l l , and softball. She recently received her m a s t e r ’s i n c o u n s e l i n g from Providence College .
K AT I E D E N OY E L L E TEAM TWO: PHYSICAL/HEALTH EDUCATION
“Physical activity is such an important part of developing the whole student. In my field, I have the opportunity of getting to know the students in a way that the other teachers do not get to see their students. The social interaction that the students have on a daily basis, from grade to grade, is incredibly important. By allowing them to work independently within large groups on tasks, we allow our students the opportunity for social interaction while they also receive the exercise that is crucial for leading healthy lives. I am honored to be a part of this mode of education.”
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TO N Y M C C L E L L A N coaches middle school football a n d s o f t b a l l . To n y comes from a family of teachers and was born in H aw a i i w h e n h i s father was teaching at the Iolani School in Honolulu.
ANTHONY PIRRUCCELLO-MCCLELLAN T E A M
T H R E E :
S C I E N C E
“ I have always been turning over rocks and looking over the next hill to see
what I could find. But I never really found science — it found me. I began my science teaching career at a boys’ boarding school, not quite sure what I was getting myself into. Before too long, I realized that I had been born to teach; it was in my genes. I love working with middle school-age children, and thrive by helping them reach that special moment of discovery and understanding. Seeing the look on their faces when they ‘get it’ is priceless. It is the whole reason I do what I do. I am equally passionate about the creative aspects of teaching. Developing student-centered labs and activities that connect the students’ daily lives with science in the classroom is one of my favorite parts of my profession.”
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ERIN SEELENBRANDT TEAM THREE: ENGLISH
ERIN SEELENBRANDT has taught English at MB since 2009. She is a past Bur ton Grant recipient. Erin earned her B.A. from Roanoke College and her M.Ed. from University of MassachusettsAmherst. Prior to MB, Erin taught at the Rector y School (Conn.), Eaglebrook School (Mass.), I n d i a n M o u n t a i n S c h o o l ( C o n n . ) , w h e r e s h e w a s E n g l i s h d e p a r t m e n t c h a i r, a n d S u g a r B o w l A c a d e my ( C a l i fo r n i a ) , w h e re s h e w a s a l s o t h e d e a n o f s t u d e n t l i fe . E r i n a s s i s t s w i t h t h e m i dd l e school theatre production.
GRAHAM HOLLAND T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
T E A M T H R E E : H I S TO RY
“Throughout my teaching career, I always held out a hope that I might one day teach in a Quaker school. When the opportunity to teach at Moses Brown presented itself, I jumped at the chance. There is something deeply satisfying about working at a school whose mission and values align so closely with my own. I am privileged to work with this age group, where students are beginning to think critically about the world.” GRAHAM HOLLAND began as a fifth grade teacher at MB. He chairs the Moses Brown sustainability committee and is MB’s varsity squash coach; Graham still plays competitively himself.
M AT T H E R R E I D T E A M T H R E E : M AT H E M AT I C S
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MATT HERREID has been the middle school wrestling coach for 20+ years. He also coaches JV tennis and has taught Spanish.
“At MB, the middle school students pulse with energy. Their social drama, blossoming humor, constantly shifting social preoccupations, and openness assure me that each day will be unique and interesting. Their willingness to dive into activities and academics promises a vibrant day. I am always interested in connecting theory and skills to the real world. Thus, in my classroom, we are apt to integrate math and its real- world applications. Why do casinos always make money? What is the most efficient way to package a liter of fluid? How do you make budgetary decisions when there are multiple variables? Like learning a new language, math opens up new ways to make sense of the world. For the curious middle school mind, learning is compelling in an authentic project-based context.�
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C AT H Y VA N L A N C K E R
TEAM THREE ART / MB VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR
“In a place where students come first, we offer a well-rounded education that includes providing meaningful and lasting learning experiences, addresses different learning styles, and builds upon each child’s natural abilities. We teach our students to appreciate differences and pay attention to nuance. As a teacher, I try to model commitment, perseverance, open-mindedness, high ethical standards, and pride in my own work. I strive to give my students a sense of value, self-reliance, courage, discipline, wonder and good judgment. My hope is that they will learn to welcome surprises, work through mistakes, and learn that surrendering to unanticipated possibilities is often where breakthroughs occur. I have high expectations of my students. Having my own children has taught me patience and humility and keeps me connected to the world of kids. Part of my quest as a teacher is to dispel notions of who is an artist and who benefits from an arts education. We all do. Everyone is an artist. Art is a process and its purpose is the journey. Art is part of being human; it resides in all of us and it is up to us to keep this alive in our students.” CATHY VAN LANCKER, chair of the visual arts department, is mother of two MB graduates, Hans and Will.
KARIM SOW TEAM THREE FRENCH / SPANISH T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
“To me, secondary school is where an individual’s personality starts to be forged. It is the bridge between the family setting and one’s own life. Language is a God-given skill and a window to the mind and soul of others. There is a sublime gratification when one is able to speak a language with a student to whom one has introduced it a couple of years prior. I hope to bring my view and my modest input to help forge the collective wisdom of our students. As a person of color from another continent, an emigrant, a Muslim, and an unstoppable explorer, I have a lot to bring to the table during my interactions with the community. MB gives me the opportunity to improve my profession by challenging me.” KARIM SOW has taught at MB since 1994. He also coaches soccer here, serves as the middle school diversity coordinator, and leads a number of other efforts after school hours, from helping other political refugees obtain refugee status to operating a nonprofit in Guinea which battles dropout rates by trading school supplies for soccer gear. Karim is shown at Convocation with fellow language teacher Maureen Mahany Berger (right) and librarian ReAnna Laney (middle). He is the parent of three MB graduates.
MARÍA CECILIA CANO E
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“Teaching at Moses Brown has given me the opportunity to continue my training as an educator. I have found many students eager to try out and apply new sounds and grammar in the Spanish language in my classroom, thus making my vocation of teaching even more rewarding. I have been able to share my heritage through projects in the classroom such as making an altar honoring family members during the celebration of Day of the Dead to holding a salsa dance workshop. I find it very satisfying when a student shares with me his or her ability to communicate in Spanish outside of the classroom.” CECI CANO is the parent of two MB students.
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W I L F R E D “ B I L L” B E A U D O I N M I D D L E
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B I L L B E A U D O I N h a s t a u g h t i n M B ’s m u s i c p r o g r a m f o r m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e . L o c a l l y, B i l l p e r f o r m s w i t h t h e C l a s s i c W i n d s Wo o d w i n d Q u i n t e t . H e a l s o i s p r i n c i p a l b a s s o o n i s t w i t h t h e R h o d e Island Wind Ensemble for the past 8 years and also the Ocean State Pops Orchestra. Bill has performed with many chamber groups and has worked as a teacher of music for 30 years. He also is on the faculty at the Gordon School in East Providence . Jazz sushi sound good? Bill also p e r f o r m s w i t h h i s t r i o a t H a r u k i E a s t i n Wa y l a n d S q u a r e .
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ELIZA GRISCOM C O M P U T E R
S C I E N C E
“I love the constant change that is integral to my discipline. It excites and inspires me to be able to teach a subject that demands that I learn something new every day myself. Learning about (and with) technology, and learning about its appropriate use, is something I consider very important to my students as part of lifelong learning. I consider technology and multimedia important and exciting tools, as they have become a new language for this next generation. I feel incredibly fortunate to work at a school that supports and understands the importance of technology use and technology integration, both for students and for faculty.�
DAV E WA S S E R TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST / COMPUTER SCIENCE T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
“MB’s commitment to self-discovery, education and engagement with the world fits well with my values. Since graduating college, my interest in other cultures has led me to travel and live in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Along the way, I’ve indulged my love of music by playing with people from France, Morocco, Holland, Israel, Canada, Hawai’i, Argentina, South Africa, and Mali. I have worked in factories; milked cows; managed a small grocery store; founded a nonprofit; served as director of technology in a small private school; and taught writing, English, civics, computers, Kingian nonviolence, Hebrew, and Jewish ethics to students of all ages and backgrounds. Each of these experiences has taught me more about myself and strengthened my sense of connection with people everywhere. I see that same diversity of experience reflected in the people and the wealth of opportunities that exist at Moses Brown. I am very grateful to be a part of such a community.”
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“I love being able to work with our bright and thoughtful students and share my new knowledge and past experiences; this is the real reward of my work here as a librarian. I have truly benefitted from MB’s commitment to professional growth and am happy to give back by providing excellent library service.”
ANNE KRIVE has been a par t of MB since 2001 and previously worked in the upper school. Achieving her professional librar y degree brings together years of diverse experiences to the focal point of librarianship and archives.
H I L A RY M A J O R MIDDLE SCHOOL STRINGS T H E MB MI D D LE SCH O O L 2 0 1 2 -2 0 1 3
“Teaching is my second career. I spent ten years working in a business setting, and as I was raising my two children, I felt the draw to education and music. After returning to school and earning an M.A.T. in music education, I now have the best job in the world. I spend my day working with children and watching them develop into young adults. It is a pleasure to work in an environment that fully supports the arts and encourages every student to find their voice.”
H I L A RY M A J O R a l s o s e r v e s a s M B ’s p e r f o r m i n g a r t s c h a i r a n d t h e u p p e r s c h o o l s e r v i c e l e a r n i n g d i r e c t o r. S h e s a y s t h a t w e e k l y M e e t i n g f o r Wo r s h i p i s o n e o f h e r f a v o r i t e a s p e c t s o f t e a c h i n g h e r e .
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B A R RY M A R S H A L L MIDDLE/UPPER SCHOOL DRAMA
“For me, community is at the heart of theater and Moses Brown’s students, families and friends comprise that community. I love that I am able to create theater across the different divisions of our school. My 12th graders help the second grade write plays, and my middle schoolers perform those plays for the second graders and their families. Cross-pollination creates beautiful flowers. When I came to Moses Brown 28 years ago, I embraced the weekly Quaker meeting whose silence gave me precious time for reflection and meditation. I am touched by the rich egalitarian ethic that runs across every element of the school — students, staff, faculty and administration now all have a chance to partake in Quaker meetings. Teaching at MB has taught me more about theater and people than I ever imagined.” B A R RY M A R S H A L L j o i n e d t h e M B c o m m u n i t y i n 1 9 8 5 a n d s a y s t h a t w h a t h e l i k e s m o s t a b o u t h i s j o b i s b e i n g a b l e t o wo r k i n d r a m a i n s o m a ny d i f fe re n t w ay s . B a rr y t e a c h e s p l ay w r i t i n g , d i re c t s p l ay s , a n d a n d h a s c o - t a u g h t w i t h t h e h i s t o r y d e p a r t m e n t , b r i n g i n g t h e p a s t t o l i fe . H e a l s o h a s been known to come to MB events as Moses Brown.
S P A N I S H
“Teaching MB students is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I spent a lot of time at my old desk job dreaming about a teaching position that would allow me to teach more than just Spanish. I wanted to teach my students that Spanish is actually relevant to their everyday life and that it’s imminent for them to be able to communicate in more than one language in a world that is changing and becoming more globalized. I fell in love with the MB culture that promotes that we teach students to think about their role in the world. I hope to teach my students my culture and give them tools that will give them confidence and help them succeed in whatever path they choose in life.” EMILIA PEÑA-DISLA is MB’s newest language faculty member. A native Spanish speaker, Emilia has her B.A. in psychology and Spanish and her M.A. in Spanish literature. She has taught at URI and CCRI; worked with the Comprehensive Community Action Program, helping students prepare for the GED; and worked with URI’s Summer Study Program in Salamanca, Spain. A graduate of Hope High, Emilia participated in the MB-Hope Exchange during her senior year. She also teaches evening classes at URI’s Providence Campus.
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EMILIA PEÑA-DISLA
JUSTIN PETERS &
D R A M A
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C H O R U S
“Teaching choral music at the upper and middle school level means introducing styles, genres, eras, composers, and songwriters to students for the first time. It’s like taking a student on a tour of the Louvre and walking them directly to the Mona Lisa, taking it off the wall, stripping down the layers, discussing the techniques, putting it back together, and then hanging our own version in our own gallery. So much better than just looking at it in a book!”
Before Moses Brown, JUSTIN PETERS taught at Lincoln School for nine y e a r s . H e n o w d i r e c t s M B ’s u p p e r and middle school choruses, teaches Music & Computers, and directs the middle school musical.
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R A N DY S T R E E T W
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“I began teaching directly out of college and have pursued this path, with a few minor diversions, for almost four decades. Much to my great fortune, I have been able to combine this interest with my enthusiasm for building in the supportive, energizing context of Moses Brown School for most of these years. Working with the students at every grade level from kindergarten into their middle school years has been enormously gratifying, as I have gotten to watch them grow and develop firsthand. My daily experience in the woodshop confirms an early observation that children are, indeed, natural builders and makers. I see it as my goal to instill the confidence and impart the skills needed to sustain this instinct through, into their adult lives. To inspire the creativity and resourcefulness of children remains, for me, a most worthy and fulfilling endeavor.�
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S T E V E TO RO
DIRECTOR OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
S T E P H E N TO RO t e a c h e s i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c t o s t u d e n t s i n g r a d e s 4 t h r o u g h 1 2 , a n d a l s o s u p e r v i s e s M B ’s i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c a n d p r i v a t e l e s s o n p r o g r a m s . “ I t ’s c o o l t o p l a y a n i n s t r u m e n t a t M B ! ” s a y s S t e v e . M B ’s i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c p r o g r a m h a s g r o w n , u n d e r S t e v e ’s l e a d e r s h i p , f r o m a n e n r o l l m e n t o f s i x s t u d e n t s w h e n h e b e g a n i n 1 9 9 5 , t o 4 0 % o f t h e t o t a l s t u d e n t b o d y. H i s e n s e m b l e s h ave re c e i ve d s u p e r i o r r a t i n g s a t m u s i c f e s t i v a l s i n P e n n s y l v a n i a , F l o r i d a , N e w J e r s e y, Canada, Virginia, and Rhode Island. MB ensembles h a v e a l s o p e r f o r m e d a t E P C OT i n D i s n e y Wo r l d , o n t h e s t e p s o f t h e L i n c o l n M e m o r i a l i n Wa s h i n g t o n , D. C . , a n d w e r e t h e f i r s t i n s t r u m e n t a l e n s e m b l e f r o m Rhode Island invited to perform at Aver y Fisher H a l l , L i n c o l n C e n t e r. S t e v e ’s s t u d e n t s h a v e e n j o y e d workshops with Edward Ellington ’64, grandson of Duke Ellington. Steve also is music director and conductor for the Ocean State Summer Pops Orchestra and a member of the board of the Rhode Island Music Educators Association. This coming summer he will be one of three conductors with the New England Ambassadors of Music on their tour of seven European countries. Steve studied music at the New England Conser vator y of M u s i c a n d U R I . D u r i n g t h e s u m m e r, h e c o n t i n u e s h i s o w n m u s i c a l e d u c a t i o n b y p a r t i c i p a t i n g in the New England Band Directors Institute at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire .
M A R I E D E L PA D R E ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
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M A R I E D E L PA D R E c e l e b r a t e s 2 6 y e a r s a t M o s e s B r o w n t h i s y e a r a n d e n j o y s s e e i n g f o r m e r s t u d e n t s c o m e b a c k t o v i s i t e a c h y e a r. W i t h b u s i n e s s t r a i n i n g a t B r y a n t C o l l e g e a n d J o h n s o n & Wa l e s U n i v e r s i t y, M a r i e e n j o y s c o n t r i b u t i n g h e r a d m i n s t r a t i v e s k i l l s i n a school environment.
“Working with middle school - age children really makes my job pretty special. I may not be in the classroom but being able to connect with children in the smallest ways is great. I think my personal values help me in my job, as much as decision-making and prioritizing, every day.”
MB by Degree
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MOSES BROWN FACULTY 65% of Moses Brown faculty hold advanced degrees and professional development is ongoing. The national average for independent-school faculty who hold advanced degrees is 58%.
Lisa Ardente: Wellesley College, B.A.; New England School of Law, J.D. Carolyn Buonanno Chase: Brown University, B.A.; Simmons College, M.A.T. Maria (Ceci) Cano: Rhode Island College, B.A. Michael DeAngelo: Hobart College, B.S. Katie Denoyelle: Springfield College, B.S.; Providence College, M.Ed. Jonathan Gold: Brown University, B.A.; Columbia University, M.A. Katie Goldman ’06: Brown University, Sc.B Eliza Griscom: Tufts University, B.A; University of New Haven, M.S.; George Washington University Matthew Herreid: University of Massachusetts - Amherst, B.A. Graham Holland: Brown University, B.A.; Lesley University, M.Ed. Anne Krive: Hope College, B.A.; University of Rhode Island, M.L.I.S. Hilary Major: Brown University, B.A.; Rhode Island College, M.A.T. Barry Marshall: University of Illinois, B.A.; Yale University, M.F.A. Maureen Nagle: Providence College, B.A.; Trinity College of Dublin, M.Phil. Deborah Neely: The College of Wooster, B.A.; University of Pittsburgh, M.A.T. Daniel Ohl: College of the Holy Cross, B.A. Emilia Peùa-Disla: University of Rhode Island, B.A., M.A. Justin Peters: Wittenberg University, B.M. Anthony Pirruccello-McClellan: Skidmore College, B.A. Patricia Savage: Queens College, CUNY, B.A. Jared Schott: Bates College, B.A. Erin Seelenbrandt: Roanoke College, B.A.; University of Massachusetts, M.Ed. James Skillings: Rhode Island College, B.S. Karim Sow: University of Niger, B.A. J. Randolph Street: Brown University, B.A. Stephen Toro: University of Rhode Island, B.M. Catherine Van Lancker: Massachusetts College of Art, B.F.A. Dave Wasser: Union College, B.A.; University of Connecticut, M.A.
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MB MISSION STATEMENT Moses Brown, a Friends school, exists to inspire the inner promise of each student and instill the utmost care for learning, people, and place.
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For the Honor of Truth