Elie Déu first joined Avenues in 2012 as head of grade six, as well as a history and Spanish teacher for the Middle School*. After spending the 2013–14 year as director of Middle and Upper School admissions for Avenues, Elie became the head of seventh grade in fall 2015, moving up from grade six while continuing to teach history and Spanish in the Middle School. That year, she also facilitated the WORLD cohort for seventh and eighth grade. In fall 2016, Elie will become a dean of students in the Upper Division, working with students in grades six through nine. As a dean, Elie will work closely with individual students throughout their years in those grades, supporting their success and serving as the first point of contact for parents.
Elie Déu first joined Avenues in 2012 as head of grade six, as well as a history and Spanish teacher for the Middle School*. After spending the 2013–14 year as director of Middle and Upper School admissions for Avenues, Elie became the head of seventh grade in fall 2015, moving up from grade six while continuing to teach history and Spanish in the Middle School. That year, she also facilitated the WORLD cohort for seventh and eighth grade. In fall 2016, Elie will become a dean of students in the Upper Division, working with students in grades six through nine. As a dean, Elie will work closely with individual students throughout their years in those grades, supporting their success and serving as the first point of contact for parents.
Sasha Marra joined Avenues in 2012 as an associate teacher in one of the English sections of nursery (in the immersion classes, nursery through grade four, children spend alternate days in a class conducted in English and in a class conducted in either Spanish or Mandarin Chinese). She returns in fall 2016 as co-head teacher of an English section of nursery.
Jessie Hicks (formerly Small) joined Avenues in fall 2015 as an English-speaking intern in the Avenues Interim Mastery program (A.I.M.) in the Lower Division. Recently married, she returns to Avenues in fall 2016 with a new name and a new position: she will now be an associate teacher in an English section of kindergarten.
We're excited to introduce several new teachers who will be joining us in the fall. In addition, we're highlighting returning teachers who will be occupying new positions at Avenues come autumn.
In fall 2016, Avenues welcomes Michael Yarbrough as a science teacher in the Upper Division.
Jia Zhuo first joined Avenues in fall 2012 as an associate teacher in one of the Chinese sections of pre-kindergarten. In fall 2013, she became a co-head teacher of one of the Chinese sections of pre-kindergarten and, in fall 2015, she returned as a head teacher in pre-K.
Carrie Meatto (formerly Petri) joined Avenues in fall 2012 as a Spanish teacher in the middle and upper grades. In fall 2016, Carrie continues teaching Spanish, now working with grades nine through 12.
Joseph D’Annibale joined Avenues in fall 2014 as the head teacher in a Spanish section of grade two (in the immersion classes, nursery through grade four, children spend alternate days in a class conducted in English and in a class conducted in either Spanish or Mandarin Chinese). In fall 2016, he will become head teacher of a Spanish section of grade four, where he will teach some of the same students he taught in his first year at Avenues.
Yibo Lu after first joined Avenues in fall 2012 as an associate teacher in a Chinese section of kindergarten, followed by two years spent as the head of a Chinese section of second grade. In fall 2015, she became the head of a Mandarin Chinese section of third grade. In fall 2016, she will become our first Chinese literacy specialist at Avenues.
Alison Spencer first joined Avenues in fall 2012 as an associate teacher in an English section of kindergarten. In fall 2013, she became head teacher of an English section of third grade. In fall 2016, Alison will move up to the fifth grade, where she will become head teacher of an English classroom.
Crystal Yuan joined Avenues in fall 2015 as an associate teacher in a Chinese section of kindergarten. In fall 2016, she will become head teacher in a Chinese section of second grade.
In fall 2016, Yingwen rises to the third grade, where she will become head teacher of a Chinese section in the immersion classes, nursery through grade four, children spend alternate days in a class conducted in English and in a class conducted in either Spanish or Mandarin Chinese.
We're excited to introduce several new teachers who will be joining us in the fall. In addition, we're highlighting returning teachers who will be occupying new positions at Avenues come autumn.
Alejandra Rozo joins Avenues in fall 2016 as a teaching fellow in a Spanish section of pre-K. The teaching fellows are bilingual early childhood educators who serve as an additional teacher in an ELC classroom. A fluent Spanish speaker, Alejandra has held previous teaching positions working with both English-speaking students in the U.S. and Spanish-speaking students in Colombia.
Junhua Zhong joins Avenues in fall 2016 as an associate teacher in a Chinese section of fourth grade. Junhua comes to us from Lansing Public Schools (Lansing, MI), where she spent two years as a second grade immersion classroom teacher and a year as a Chinese language and culture teacher.
This fall, we welcome Erin Finn-Welch back as a program coordinator for the High Intensity Practice (HIP) writing in the middle grades program.
Clarissa Pilder Byer joined Avenues in 2012 as the head teacher of an English section of pre-kindergarten. (In the immersion classes, nursery through grade three, children spend half their days in a class conducted in English and half in a class conducted in either Spanish or Mandarin Chinese.) Married this summer, she now has a new name and in the fall will become the head of grade of the nursery grade.
Laura Gonzalez Martin joins Avenues in fall 2016 as a teaching fellow in a Spanish section of nursery. The teaching fellows are bilingual educators who serve as an additional teacher in an ELC classroom. A native Spanish speaker, Laura’s believes that learning a foreign language is an important part of a child’s education and their future success.
In fall 2016, Avenues welcomes Louise Keys as head teacher of a fifth grade class in the Lower Division. Louise has a rich background in global education and experience working with students of varying ages and ability levels.
Dan Hughes first joined Avenues in fall 2014 as an associate teacher in an English section of grade one. We welcome him back this fall, now as a head teacher in an English section of grade one.