Poly People

Addie Schoenberger

“Learning through wonder! I want to encourage students to learn about the world around them and ask questions. If the wonder about their environment starts at a young age, it will continue into adulthood.”

Angela Gittens P’23

“The highlight of my teaching career is having alumni return to tell me that seeds for their love of speaking other languages were originally planted in my classroom and that they travel throughout the world using their language skills beyond the walls of a classroom.”

Ann McCartney ’94, P’32

“I was a Poly Middle School student myself in the late 1980s, that’s when I learned to love learning.”

Caesar Fabella P’18

“I want to engage my students through a process of self-discovery and interactive pedagogy. I want their experience of history to come alive through dynamic and hands-on activities that are student driven.”

Daniel Doughty

“I love finding a way to engage students who might not think of themselves as musicians.'”

David Reid

“Teaching is at its richest when it’s not teaching, but learning—learning together, exploring questions without answers, and finding the limits of knowledge.”

Olugbala Williams

“I believe teaching to the whole child, which for the preschool age means focusing on social emotional growth. Children in my class learn to self-regulate, handle frustration, become comfortable with making mistakes, and how to empathize.”

Heidi Zarou ’86, P’22, ’22

“In the Lower School art studios, every day is a journey, an exploration into new and exciting territories with our youngest learners where creativity, imagination, and energy abound.”

Helena Elko

“One highlight this year has been to see my seventh grade art students fall in love with drawing,”

Jean Belford P’24

Jean’s AP Computer Science Principles class won the AP Computer Science Principles Female Diversity Award that recognizes Poly’s commitment to female diversity, as well as the girls’ interest and enthusiasm for computer science.

Jennifer Nelson P’12, ’14, ’19

“[Music] is an inspiring activity that engages every part of ourselves simultaneously.”

Jill Bolstridge

“The skills learned in drama class—creative problem-solving, risk-taking, and collaboration—are transferable lifelong skills.”

Ellen M. Martinez P’08, ’10

“[Middle School] students are interested and enthusiastic about learning. Language is often a new subject for them.”

Guy Devyatkin P’00

“When a student returned for an alumni day and told me that he had become an environmental biologist because of his experiences in my class, that was quite special.”

Laura Caldwell

“I live my life as a student, waking each day excited to learn something new, and my goal is to pass that curious spirit along to every student in my class.”

Linda Aponte P’13

“My goal for my students is that they be scientifically literate… I hope using the education they have they will endeavor to do the right thing.”

Maria DiCarlo P’23

“My goal for all my math students is that they look back on their math classes and feel that my department has nurtured their abilities to be creative problem-solvers and independent thinkers.”

Patti Smith P’20

“Every child is an artist; some are natural renderers, some are great at sculpture and 3D work, others have a great sense of design. Our goal is for every child to be successful in an area of visual art.”

Sarah Ely

“I often say I have my dream job because I am teaching the subject that I wish I could have been taught in elementary school. Getting to teach young students and affirm and uplift our Spanish heritage speakers in the Lower School is a privilege.”

Stacy Hunter P’15

Before coming to Poly, Stacy Hunter was an architect and a software engineer. “What interested me then and what continues to interest me now is examining the region where design and computer science meet.”

Susan Beiles P’88, ’90, ’95

“I hope they [my students] will love to study the ever-changing story of the United States and to be as excited as I am to study history.”