Shore Welcomes New, Returning Faculty and Staff

This fall, Shore welcomes 16 new or returning members of the faculty and staff. Equipped with plentiful advanced degrees and a tremendous depth of experience, this diverse group of teachers and administrators brings a wide range of strengths to Shore and promises an exciting back-to-school season for students and families this year and in the years to come.

LOWER SCHOOL

Stacy Tell returns to Shore to assume the role of lead teacher in Grade 4. A 2013 graduate of New York University, with a B.A. in Child Education/Special Education and a minor in English Literature, Stacy went on to complete her M.Ed. at Harvard University in Language & Literacy with licensure as a Reading Specialist in Grades K-12. Stacy has worked as an assistant and intern in a variety of elementary classrooms, including Anne Babcock’s third grade class, and has spent the past year honing her skills as a lead teacher in third grade at the Country Elementary School in Weston, Massachusetts. Stacy comes to Shore with experience teaching and assessing reading at varying developmental levels. Stacy has worked at a summer camp for boys in Maine since the summer of 2011; she served as an administrator this past summer. Additionally, Stacy loves to read, write, and travel with a camera in hand. Fittingly, she resides in the Back Bay of Boston right next to the Boston Public Library.

 

Promising a seamless transition in our phenomenal music offerings, we are thrilled to welcome Alex Asacker back to Shore. After completing her successful run in Jenny Lienhard's absence in the fall of 2014, Alex stayed with us to complete the year in our kindergarten as a teaching assistant. Alex has spent the past year teaching lower school music at Berwick Academy in Maine, and she is thrilled to return to the North Shore (and to Shore in particular!) to re-establish her ties locally and in the Boston community. Outside of school, Alex loves trying new restaurants and spending time outdoors with her dog, Rigby.

Amanda Berg joins us with twelve years of exceptional teaching experience and assumes the role of lead teacher in Grade 5, working alongside David Lund and Louis Frank. The nature of Amanda’s assignment in the sixth grade at the Advent School in Boston parallels our approach to project-based learning. More recently, Amanda taught at Harborlight-Stoneridge in the fourth through sixth grade program to bring greater definition to the reading and writing curriculum and to provide differentiation in the math lessons. Amanda is an honors graduate of Bates College and a graduate with her M.A.T. in History from Tufts University. We are especially excited to have someone with Amanda's experience and commitment to service learning, issues of social justice, and curriculum development joining our dynamic fifth grade team. In addition to teaching, Amanda spends time reading, cooking, making jewelry, and going on outdoor adventures. She resides in Beverly and has two young sons, Jacob and Eliot.

 

Manny Brito joins us as Spanish teacher for Grades Pre-K–5. A graduate of Choate and St. Lawrence (B.A.), Manny comes to us with nine years of experience as a foreign language teacher. Fluent in five languages, Manny has taught Spanish, French, and Italian. Most recently, Manny worked at CATS Academy, an international school in Newton, Massachusetts. In addition to his strength in languages, Manny brings to us his expertise in soccer; he was a professional soccer player for a number of years and still coaches on the North Shore. Shore is fortunate to have Manny on campus as both a Spanish teacher and a soccer coach.

 

Assisting Stacy Tell in Grade 4 is Lauren Bukkegyi. Lauren earned her graduate degree from St. Anselm College in 2016. She has been a student teacher in first and fourth grades, and she brings charisma, enthusiasm, and warmth to her role as a teaching assistant at Shore. Outside of school, Lauren enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Jack and Leo. A Hamilton resident since childhood, Lauren has worked at 15 Walnut Bistro and is thrilled to now work at Shore Country Day School.

 

Shore is pleased to have James Hubbard joining us as a lead teacher in Grade 4. Making a return appearance after three years as a lead teacher in the fifth grade at St. David's School in Manhattan, James brings experience in curriculum development and design, particularly in social studies. A graduate of Colby College, James has also been trained in Harvard University’s Project Zero approach to teaching and learning called Making Thinking Visible. James spent his summer teaching rising fifth graders at Horizons, an enrichment program in New York City that works with boys from low-income families. James now resides in Marblehead and enjoys distance running and road races.

 

Assisting Mary Kinahan in First Grade is Elizabeth Twomey. Elizabeth earned her graduate degree from Dartmouth College in 2015 and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Boston University this past summer. Elizabeth has been a student teacher in first and fourth grades, and she comes to us with strong recommendations and an eagerness to be at Shore. Outside of teaching, Elizabeth enjoys reading and hiking. Her favorite experience from the summer was hiking the Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival loop of the Squam Lake region of New Hampshire with friends.

 

Joining us as co-teacher to Keisha Myrie in Kindergarten is Laurel Fitzpatrick. Laurel followed her undergraduate degree in Literature and Environmental Studies at Bennington College with a dual Master's Degree in Elementary Education and Teaching of Reading at Lesley University. She started her career as a third grade teacher at the Carroll School in Concord and quickly rose to become the third grade team leader. Most recently, Laurel served as a literacy support teacher in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and a second grade classroom teacher in Stowe. Laurel is a passionate teacher, outdoor education advocate, and role model for our children. Highlights from the summer include: picking wild blueberries and baking a blueberry pie, canoeing and boating, trail running, and hiking in New Hampshire.

 

Monique Clark assumes the role of Assistant to the Head of Lower School, Sara Knox. Familiar to most everyone, Monique brings to her new post her background as our highly valued, versatile, and dynamic substitute in most every position within the school. Parent to Raphael in Grade 6 and twins, Luka and Angus, in Grade 4, Monique has subbed in World Language classes, Upper and Lower School classes, and frequently at the front desk, especially in the Lower School. This summer, Monique traveled with her family to Yellowstone National Park, where she spotted a grizzly bear in the wild.

 

UPPER SCHOOL

Pamela Haley joined Shore this July as the Upper School Administrative Assistant. Prior to Shore, Pam worked at Marblehead Community Charter School as the Executive Assistant to the Head of School. As part of her administrative responsibilities at Marblehead Charter, Pam gained significant experience in managing the secondary school outplacement process and directing the school’s enrichment program. In addition to her deep school experience, Pam’s organized, cheerful, and energetic approach to life is expressed through her passion for cooking and in running her catering business.

 

Cathy Griffin returns to Shore as a teacher of sixth grade Reading and Language Arts. Previously, Cathy served as both an Upper School English teacher and as the Chair of the Upper School English Department. It is an understatement to say how pleased we are to have Cathy back at Shore. Her talent and depth of experience offer so much to her students and her colleagues.

 

It is the school's good fortune that Chris Hubbard accepted our offer to return to Shore as a part-time librarian. Chris served most ably as Elyse Seltzer’s maternity replacement in the spring of 2015. Chris is a graduate of Smith College and Harvard Law School. After a career in law, Chris decided to follow her passion for literature to the library program at Simmons College. She received her Master of Science in Library Science from Simmons in 2013.

 

STAFF

Shore enthusiastically welcomes Ann-Marie Flynn to the position of Director of Finance and Operations. Since 2012, Ann-Marie has been the Vice-President of Finance for VPNE Valet Parking New England, one of Boston's largest parking services with over two-hundred contracts. Prior to VPNE, Ann-Marie held the position of Controller of SCA Group in Lacey, Washington, a commercial and residential land development group, for seven years. Ann-Marie proudly points to a stint as Assistant Director Financial Assistance/Student Employment at Bentley College as one of the most rewarding posts she has held. Ann-Marie is a graduate of Bentley College with a B.S. in Accounting and a Masters in Business Administration and Accounting Information Systems. She is excited to make the shift back into the non-profit world, and especially to a leading elementary and middle school with its mission focused on providing the best education possible for children. 

Julie Ruggieri will lead SEA Shore, Summer Shore, and enrichment programs at Shore. Julie comes to Shore from the Chapin School in New York City, where she served in a variety of capacities including physical education teacher, advisor, coach, and Director of Student Life. Julie earned her B.A. in Elementary and Special Education and her M.Ed. in Counseling from Providence College. At Providence Julie competed as a varsity field hockey player, earning All Big East First Team honors as well as being named team captain in her senior year. We look forward to Julie's vision and energy helping us to expand enrichment offerings including emerging technologies.

Annie Pfaff joins us as the Advancement Services and Events Coordinator. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Annie recently served as the Advancement Data Coordinator at The Winsor School in Boston. Prior to her time at Winsor, Annie spent several years working at Harvard University in the Athletics Department. Annie's experience as the data expert and managing the database, conducting gift entry, reports, and acknowledgments, prepares her well for this key role at Shore. At Harvard, she worked as the liaison to the 2,300 member Friends of Harvard Football alumni group, including planning national events and board meetings, solicitations, and external newsletters communications. She has also worked in sales and communications for Communications firms in Cincinnati and Boston. As an undergraduate, Annie was the Team Captain of the women's tennis team and volunteered for a variety of community service trips and activities. Annie and her husband live in Melrose.

Sara Kerney is our new Assistant Director of Admissions. Sara is a former Shore student who attended Grades 4 through 6 before her family moved to Maine. She is passionate about education and Shore Country Day School. Shore is where her love of learning began, and it has carried with her through all of her educational and professional endeavors since. Most recently, Sara worked for MealPass, a start up that provides membership for lunches. Prior to her role at MealPass, Sara was the Operations Manager for Shea & Company, a boutique investment bank. Sara is excited to be returning to the Shore community in her new role.