GATEWAY REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT New Faces at Gateway!
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GATEWAY REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 12 Littleville Road Huntington, MA 01050 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Wendy V. Long, Public Relations (413) 685-1003 New faces at Gateway! Huntington – Gateway is pleased to welcome a number of new staff members for the 2018-19 school year. They include Laurie Boucher, custodian; Theresa Brownlee, resource nurse; Samuel Casler, 8th grade science teacher; Hannah David, Speech and Language Pathologist; paraprofessional Heather Hannigan; Emily Johnson, school counselor; Stephanie Klinakis, preschool teacher; Jenya Kushin, school counselor; Danielle Murray, 4th grade teacher at Littleville; special education teacher Alexandria Renton; high school paraprofessional Lynn Russell; Mona Thieme, preschool paraprofessional; and Sarah Thompson, Littleville nurse. Laurie Boucher began working as a custodian in the high school over the summer, and some of the beautiful fresh paint noted throughout the building was done by her. She says she is enjoying her interaction with the students and the comradery she is experiencing with the staff and her co- workers. She likes the friendly atmosphere at Gateway. Theresa Brownlee is the new District Resource Nurse, who will be dividing her time between Littleville and the MS/HS; she will also provide coverage in Chester when needed. She is an RN who holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing degrees. She has a diverse nursing background that includes both community and private settings and enjoys teaching health-related topics along with caring for people. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the students, families and faculty,” Brownlee said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help with maintaining student health, wellness and safety.” Samual Casler will be the 8th grade science teacher at Gateway Regional Middle School this year, replacing Pat Diefendorf who retired in June. He holds a B.S. in psychology and an M.Ed. in Education, both from UMASS Amherst. He did his student teaching at Hopkins Academy and worked for two semesters as an Assistant teacher at Amherst Regional Middle School. Casler says that he is looking forward to learning more about the community and working with dedicated and supportive colleagues. Another UMASS/Amherst graduate (B.S. in Communication Disorders and M.A. in Speech and Language Pathology) Hannah David joins the staff as a Speech and Language Pathologist for the Middle/High Schools and Chester Elementary School. She has actually worked at Gateway since last October (contracted through another agency) but officially joins us as an employee this year. “The staff members are supportive and collaborative and focus on the whole child,” David reflected. “It is a great place to work and I am lucky to be here.” Her prior experience includes volunteer and clinical work in music therapy, private practice, skilled nursing facilities, and early intervention, but her favorite setting thus far has been a school setting. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, photography and being outdoors with friends and families. “I am really excited about the full-day preschool program at (the Gateway complex) this year. It will be nice to have younger students in District telephone: (413) 685-1000 Fax: (413) 667-8739 the building and may open up opportunities for high school students to participate in internships and explore whether they want to teach young children.” Heather Hannigan joins us as a paraprofessional in the high school. She has an Associate’s Degree from Holyoke Community College and has been a substitute teacher at Gateway for the past two years. Previously, she worked as an office manager for a company in Southwick and as an Assessor’s clerk for the town of Chester. She looks forward to working with students and helping them meet their goals. Emily Johnson is no stranger to high school students, after serving as the long-term sub for Julie Case last year. She is now officially a School Counselor at Gateway, serving students in grades 9 – 12. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Vermont, and earned a Master’s of Education in School Counseling degree (5-12) from Bridgewater State University. She is very happy to get back to seeing all of her students and hearing about their summer vacations, and looks forward to a great year at Gateway. “I’m very excited to meet and get to know my students and their families,” said Stephanie Klinakis, who will teach in the new preschool program housed at the Gateway complex. “The new preschool rooms are amazing and I’m very excited to be here!” Klinakis has a B.S. in Communication Disorders and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education. She has prior experience as a speech and language pathology assistant for Holyoke and Westfield Public Schools, and as a behavioral therapist (ABA). She is also looking forward to working with and building strong relationships with colleagues and staff. Jenya Kushin is our other new School Counselor at Gateway Regional High School. Her prior work experience includes Career and College Counselor at South Hadley High School and as a School Counselor Intern at Easthampton High School. Her background also includes teaching languages (English, Russian and Dutch) and as a translator and interpreter for government translation services in Moscow, Russia. She holds two Master’s Degrees: an MA in Linguistics from Moscow State Linguistic University and a Master of Arts in Psychology and School Guidance Counseling. She enjoys helping students find their passion and interests in life and guiding them toward their future success. The mother of 3 teenage sons, Kushin finds herself doing a number of outdoor activities with her family (hiking, kayaking, etc.) and also enjoys reading, dance and travel. Danielle Murray is joining the Littleville faculty as a 4th grade teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Bridgewater State University, and a Master of Science degree in Education from Bay Path University. This is a return, of sorts, for Murray as she student taught in 3rd grade last year and also served as a substitute teacher at both Littleville and Chester. “I’m most looking forward to being a part of a community that consistently puts their students first,” she said, adding that she is excited about learning more from all of the amazing teachers at Gateway. Alexandria Renton comes to Gateway after running the Life Skills Program at Hoosac Valley High School, and the school’s behavior program before that. She also worked for four years in a private residential school for students with a wide range of disabilities. While at Hillcrest Educational Centers in Lenox, she worked as a counselor and a special education teacher. At Gateway, she will be the 9th and 10th grade special education teacher. Renton has a BA in English and BS in Education, both from District telephone: (413) 685-1000 Fax: (413) 667-8739 MCLA and is currently working toward her M.Ed. at MCLA. “The thing I look forward to the most about Gateway is working in such an inclusive environment,” Renton said. Lynn Russell’s roots are deeply ingrained in Gateway. She, her mom, and her two daughters are Gators through and through, with her youngest daughter currently a 3rd generation student in the high school. Russell joins the staff this year as a paraprofessional in the high school, following prior experience as a substitute and 3 years in the Developmental Learning Program at Westfield High School. As Gateway’s building has changed somewhat since she graduated in 1990, she says she finds herself looking for stairways that no longer exist. She says she is most looking forward to working with the students she is assigned to support in the high school. Mona Thieme is the paraprofessional in the new preschool program opening at Gateway, and comes with extensive early childhood experience. She has an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and worked for 31 years at a child care center in Easthampton, where her last position was Assistant Director. “I am eager to be part of such a wonderful group of talented educators,” Thieme said. “I am very happy to have the honor of working with my community’s youngest children and am looking forward to a fantastic new school year!” Sarah Thompson (BSN,RN) joins the Littleville staff as their new School Nurse. Last spring, she graduated the accelerated nursing program at UMASS/Amherst. She looks forward to working with children, parents, staff and the entire Gateway community this year. ### Some of the new faces at Gateway! (left to right): preschool paraprofessional Mona Thieme; custodian Laurie Boucher; resource nurse Theresa Brownlee; Alexandria Renton, high school special education teacher ; preschool teacher Stephanie Klinakis; paraprofessional Heather Hannigan; 4th grade teacher at Littleville Danielle Murray; HS school counselor Jenya Kushin and 8th grade science teacher Sam Casler. District telephone: (413) 685-1000 Fax: (413) 667-8739 .