Barre Town Middle and Elementary School New Staff for 2011-2012
 

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Jennifer Nye – Grade K-4 Principal
Before coming to the Barre Supervisory Union, Jen was a teacher in almost every elementary grade in both private and public schools. Most recently, she taught grades 5/6 at Berlin Elementary School. She studied elementary education and humanities, with a specialization in teaching reading at Lesley University. She then began her teaching career in Orlando, Florida and started taking coursework in gifted and talented education. In 2007 she obtained her Masters from Johnson State College in Gifted and Talented education. Additionally, she worked towards and achieved National Board Teacher Certification in 2009. She recently received her school administrative endorsement from Saint Michael’s College in May of 2010. Her greatest initiative is to provide the leadership that will facilitate a school environment that provides differentiated instruction to meet the needs of each student.

Bridgett Apfel – Special Services Administrative Assistant
Bridgett is a former Barre Town student who graduated from Champlain College with a Medical Administrative Assistant Degree. During college she completed an internship at Fletcher Allen Orthopaedics, and after graduating, she continued working there for 17 years as a Medical Assistant to surgeons within the specialties of Pediatrics, Foot and Ankle Surgery, and Sports Medicine. Bridgett and her family reside in Barre Town, and she is excited to begin a new career path closer to home while enjoying all that Barre Town has to offer while her son, Ian, grows up and attends Barre Town.

Amanda Bathalon – Grade 1 Long-term sub for Emily Thomas
Amanda graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education. She comes to us from Clays Mill Elementary School in Lexington, Kentucky where she was a Kindergarten teacher for the last 3 years. She has also taught Grade 1, Reading Recovery, and been a math interventionist. She enjoys reading, cooking, and quilting. She is happy to be back home in Vermont.

Allison Charles – Grade K Teacher
Allison Charles is a new kindergarten teacher at Barre Town Middle and Elementary School. She graduated from the University of Vermont. Prior to teaching here she taught 2nd Grade at BFA Fairfax. She was also a paraeducator in 1st and 5th grade.

Natalie Coughlin – Half-time Math Enrichment Teacher
Natalie graduated from Johnson State College with a Bachelor of Mathematics Degree in Mathematics and High School Education. While at Johnson, she received the JSC Mathematics Department Award and passed the Praxis II Math Test with recognition for excellence.

Kyle Dubois – Grade 3 Teacher
Kyle Dubois graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance. He was a freelance musician and private lesson instructor in the Boston area prior to moving to Vermont last year. Kyle received his elementary Education certification from the Upper Valley Educator's Institute in Lebanon, NH, and interned in a grades 3/4 class in Randolph, VT, and in a grades 5/6 class in Berlin, VT. Kyle has also worked with many special needs students, both in respite settings, and one-on-one at the Sprague Elementary School in Wellesley MA.

Maura Mancini – Grade 8 Teacher
Maura graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Master of Arts Degree in Education and from Hartwick College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geology. She was a physical earth science teacher for the Newtown Board of Education in Sandy Hook, CT. Maura was previously a geologist in Connecticut and Southern California. She decided to become a teacher to share her passion of science.

Mary Marshall – Grade K Teacher
Mary graduated from The University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education. She comes to us from Edmunds Elementary School in Burlington, VT where she taught in a Kindergarten & 1st grade classroom. Before that she was a substitute teacher in Burlington, South Burlington, and Swanton, VT. Mary did her student teaching in a 3/4 multi-age classroom at Edmunds Elementary School. Mary lives in Burlington, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Elizabeth Reiss – Grade 5 Teacher
Elizabeth received her elementary licensure through the Teacher Certification Program at St. Michael’s College and graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Services. Most recently, she was an active substitute for teachers, special educators and paraeducators in the South Burlington School District. She was previously a sports development coach and a figure skating coach. Elizabeth has become familiar with Responsive Classroom, Reader and Writers’ Workshop models and teaching through current technology. She has also used the standards-based Bridges in Mathematics.

Kim Tewksbury – Grade 3 Teacher
Kim is a Montpelier native, who taught at Union Elementary School since 1996 as a 1st & 2nd grade teacher, as well as K-5th grade Literacy Teacher. She graduated from UVM with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. Kim has done both graduate work in Special Education and is presently working on her Master of Education degree from Southern New Hampshire College. She resides in Barre Town with her husband Brent and her two daughters, Zoe who will be going into second grade and Lilly who will be starting kindergarten.

Jessica Van Orman – Grade 6 Teacher
Jessica is a former Barre Town student who graduated from Keene State College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of New England. Jessica taught fourth grade at Haverhill Cooperative Middle School in North Haverhill, New Hampshire, and second grade at Groveton Elementary School in Groveton, New Hampshire.

Rachel Van Vliet – Team II Special Educator
Rachel Van Vliet studied Elementary Education and Special Education at the University of Vermont and graduated in 2010. She wrote her senior thesis on Complex Instruction, a method of using groupwork in the classroom to provide equal access to learning. This past summer Rachel was the Youth Outreach Assistant for the Summer Reading Program at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington where she worked with grades K-8. Prior to that Rachel worked at Edmunds Middle School in Burlington as a paraprofessional in 6th and 7th grade. She completed her Student Teaching in a 1st grade classroom at JFK Elementary School in Winooski. She also worked as a Student Intern at several elementary schools in Burlington.