departments: Faculty Fun Facts
Titan Faculty: Outside the Classroom Showing their flare for turning a thorn into a rose, a number of Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Faculty and Staff learned new hobbies or found simple ways to enjoy life during COVID-19.
Paul Bloomfield Chair, Fine & Performing Arts “Since COVID-19 hit last spring, I had the sudden urge to get on a motorcycle again. It had been 20 years, and it seemed the right time. I got an old Triumph sports bike and gradually relearned how to ride. It was a bit scary at first for sure, but addictive. I had ridden for many years in the United Kingdom, where I was even a full-time motorcycle courier for two years in London. Now in winter here in New England, I’ll occasionally go out in sub 32-degree weather if the sun is out while I await spring.”
Fabienne Dubois Chair, World Languages “I am excited I completed the training to get the certification to become an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) rater, which will help me evaluate studentspeaking skills in any language class. I started learning Mandarin. I also listen every day to ‘The Bible in a Year’ podcast and to a Spanish podcast while walking. Three of my goals in one.”
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AC ADEMY WORLD SPRING 2021
Jon Brook Faculty, World Languages “I have never done so much home repair and renovation in my life! I installed windows and an exterior door, finished a shed that I started in 2019, built two small decks and re-sided part of the garage and living room wall. I’m no Bob Vila (or Property Brothers, for the younger reader) but it all looks good, doesn’t leak and hasn’t fallen apart! Working with my hands and body got me out of my head and helped keep me relatively sane since March.”
Diana Cost Chair, Science “During the summer I took a Cornell University Birdwatching course. I can now identify six new types of birds and have discovered that we have nesting great horned owls, titmouse, cardinals, spotted woodpeckers, turkey vultures, blue jays and turkeys on my property.”
Mark Fischer Chair, Mathematics “During lockdown the Fischer family worked on our French skills by listening to lots of French language ‘emissions’ over the internet. I told my girls my computer had a tech issue and it would only play cartoons in French. Knowing this was their only option, they fell for it. In addition, to take the edge off of the news cycle, I started listening to the news from France (it was still depressing—not really a solution for tranquility). Anyway, we hammered the language skills and may have made just a little progress.”
Charlie D’Avanzo Faculty, Science “Our son hung out with us for a while as fall turned to winter to escape the desolation of dealing with COVID-19 in Philly and we watched ‘The Mandalorian.’ ‘Star Wars’ came out in May 1977, which was the year I began my teaching career at Amherst Regional Junior High School. My first lessons (crafted on something called carbon paper) featured characters based on ‘Star Wars’ and offered hints to answer my science questions. So, watching ‘The Mandalorian’ (especially that last episode!!) brought the story full circle for me!”
Kelsea Lewis Faculty, Science Ms. Lewis and her husband hosted an aviation discussion in Alumni Memorial Library and on Zoom in February. They covered such topics as how to become a pilot, airplane physics, effects of altitude and more.
