Meet Dartmouth's newest teachers

Sep 12, 2017

The Dartmouth School Committee welcomed new teachers at a reception on September 11 at Quinn Elementary School. With 30 new members of the faculty, Dartmouth Week was able to sit down with a few of the new teachers to get to know them.

Gabrielle Desmarais Second Grade, DeMello School

When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

I have wanted to be a teacher since I was very little. In Kindergarten and 1st grade I would always play school with my siblings who didn't enjoy it at all.

What was your favorite subject in school?

History! I just liked learning about other places. Math was so drilled.... History was fun.

Kelsie Brejcha First grade, DeMello School

What is your favorite local place to go to in Dartmouth?

I love the Sail Loft... and Sunrise Bakery for breakfast. I love food as you can tell.

When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?

I originally went to school for theatre. I moved to New York City and it just wasn't what I wanted. I moved back and started subbing and I knew on the first day of subbing that I wanted to be a teacher. I come from a family of teachers.

What subject did you hate in school?

I hated math, specifically geometry.

Courtney Harrington First grade, DeMello School

What was your favorite subject in school?

I loved spelling, but I hated math.

When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

I have always wanted to be a teacher, ever since first grade. I loved my first grade teacher, she was the best. I have some of her stuff in my classroom

Jen Alvanas, First grade, DeMello School

Did you always want to be a teacher?

No, I got my undergraduate degree in Psych, than I spent a good number of years doing teacher things, like being a para and I taught in Korea. I knew to teach my own class, I would need to get a masters so I did.

What did you want to be when grew up as a kid?

I think I wanted to be a teacher or a dolphin trainer. It was some form of teaching either teaching people or animals.

What was your favorite subject in school?

Math... I love it. There is always a right and a wrong answer.