BCSD introduced a monthly highlight on its teachers and staff last school year. This is a monthly feature that highlights staff from each school building and new this year a non-instructional district staff member. In November’s feature get to know a little more about Ms. Ruebel, Ms. Stott, Ms. Oakes, Ms. Lanzillo, Mr. Cornell and Ms. Yerdon.
BCSD will quote the featured staffs’ responses to a light-hearted questionnaire. This is an opportunity for the staff at BCSD to share a little about themselves as well as offer some advice from their perspective.
Ms. Gretchen Ruebel
Berlin Elementary School
Second Grade
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
My favorite memory is a person. Mrs. Hoffman was my middle school math teacher and adviser. Math was not my strongest subject in school, I actually struggled through each year just to keep up with it. She was kind and patient, and saw me for much more than a student who struggled in math. I moved to a new school in ninth grade and we kept in touch all through my high school years.
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
My students probably don’t know that I moved a few times when I was in school. When I was in first grade, I lived in Barbados for one year. I lived in Wisconsin while I was in middle school, and in New York in high school. When I was in college, I studied in Sweden for one semester. Each time I moved to a new place, I learned new things and I learned a lot about myself.
3. What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
For me, a good day at school is when I see my students taking charge of the routines and structures that I’ve built in my classroom. Many of these focus on building a classroom community and keeping learning fun. This year, I’ve had students ask to play a certain math game again (and again!). Students have also asked to have a class meeting to talk about something that is going on in the classroom or school. Seeing my young second graders know that they have a voice in our classroom makes it a great day for me.
4. What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my child(ren) on a daily basis after a day at school?
I think it’s important to talk about the social part of your child’s school day at home. Asking your child questions that will get them to talk about their friendships at school is one way to do so. Questions like, Who did you play with at recess? Did you get to help anyone with their work today? Did anyone help you with your work today? will give you some insight to what their day is like at school.
5. What are the best resources that we should consider using to support our child in the classroom?
For second graders, I think the best resources are the ones that allow them to spend time learning with someone. Reading books together every single night has more benefits that I could list. Playing a math game at home or practicing math facts in the car are ways to show your child that learning new things is something that is fun and is valued.
6. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
All of the grade levels that I teach seem to love learning about animals; and sea creatures are usually a topic that is popular and chosen for research projects. So, I think we’d head to Hawaii and take a glass bottom boat tour so that they could see some of the creatures that they read about. While there, we’d also check another popular topic among elementary school students…volcanoes!
7. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
I remember reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in college. I loved the book and discussions that we had from reading it. It would definitely keep me occupied (but maybe a little afraid) while trapped on a deserted island!
Ms. Theresa Stott
Berlin Elementary School
Teaching Assistant
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
My favorite memory from school was always the field trips! It was always so nice to get out and have fun at a different place with my friends! Our trip to the USS Slater was so fun!
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
The students would be so surprised to know that I did not miss one day of school until my senior year! I never wanted to miss anything at school! A hidden talent of mine is that I love art! I’m pretty good at drawing and creating art!
3. What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
A good day at school would be a full hands-on day of experiments and art projects! Science is so interesting and it includes math which I love so much!
4. What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my child(ren) on a daily basis after a day at school?
I always suggest that you keep the line of communication open with your children especially after a long day at school. Always ask them how their day was, if they found anything interesting or difficult. That’s a perfect open ended question to spark a conversation.
5. What are the best resources that we should consider using to support our child in the classroom?
The best resource that I think would benefit every child in school is to reintroduce how important a library is. Physical books stimulate the mind greatly. I know technology has definitely changed everything in education, but nothing will replace a book.
6. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
I would take my students on a field trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History!
7. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
I love all books, but any mystery or adventure book is my go to!
Ms. Elizabeth Oakes
Berlin Central School District
Food Service
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
My favorite memory from school is when the kids made us posters and brought them into the cafeteria to us.
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
I think the students would be surprised to know that l am an avid fisherman. One of my hidden talents is outdoor sports.
3. What makes a ‘good day’ in the cafeteria?
A good day in the cafeteria would be all the kids getting along and enjoying their food and eachother’s company.
4. What do you love most about being part of the BCSD Food Service Department?
The thing l love the most about being part of the BCSD food service department is seeing the kids every day.
5. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
I would take them all to Disney world.
6. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
My “trapped on a desert island book” would be The Christmas Shoes.
Ms. Hannah Lanzillo
Berlin Middle School
Sixth Grade Math Teacher
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
There aren’t a lot of memories from school that stand out for me, but the ones that do are usually from activities or clubs that I did after school. One extracurricular activity I participated in was playing the flute in marching band. I enjoyed the team work and dedication that it took to compete in a parade. It was also fun to travel to places like Washington DC and Rhode Island to play with the band!
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
I think my students would be surprised to find out that I have done a lot of traveling. I have been to Zambia (Africa), Switzerland, Austria, Dominican Republic, Prince Edward Island, and took a month long cross country road trip to explore the western United States. One of my “hidden talents” is that I know a lot about camping and hiking. The tallest mountain I have climbed is South Teton Mountain (Wyoming) at 12,514 feet above sea level. I’ve also hiked all the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks and as a Summit Steward (teaching hikers how to care for alpine plants) I have hiked the two tallest mountains in New York (Marcy and Algonquin) over 100 times!
3. What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
For me the best days at school are when students who have been struggling with a difficult concept have an “ah ha” moment and begin to understand it. I love seeing the sense of accomplishment and joy this brings!
4. What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my child(ren) on a daily basis after a day at school?
I think that getting your children talking after school is more important than the specific questions you ask them. If your kids are giving you one word responses, ask more specific questions that require more than a yes or no answer. My own children are still young, but instead of just asking about how their day went, we love to talk about the foods we ate that day, friends we played with, ways that we helped other people, and things that we learned.
5. What are the best resources that we should consider using to support our child in the classroom?
Taking the time to communicate with your child’s teacher and keeping track of how your child is doing is one of the best ways to support your child at school. Checking how they are doing on Schoology and supporting your child in completing their work helps them to develop positive life long habits that will help them in whatever path they decide to follow in the future.
6. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
I would take my students to visit several of the National Parks in the Western United States, such as Zion, Grand Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands. The landscape and scenery is so much different than we have here in the East and while the pictures are beautiful, the actual experience of hiking in the Grand Canyon or Zion is incredible and awe inspiring.
7. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
It’s pretty hard to pick just one! One of my favorite hobbies is reading. My favorite genres are historical fiction, realistic fiction, and fantasy. I’ve always been a big Anne of Green Gables fan so I’d probably pick a book from that series.
Mr. Wayne Cornell
Berlin High School
Math Teacher
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
I have many good memories from school. Some of my favorites probably had to do with band and band field trips that we took. We played on the deck of the USS Intrepid museum in NYC and also played on the steps of the Capitol in Washington DC and toured the city.
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
I grew up on a farm and I spend my summers and many weekends working on the farm. I was a bit of a band geek in high school. I spent a lot of my free time down in the band room. I played the trumpet in school and still play in a couple bands today.
3. What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
A good day is when my students and I get involved in a good discussion even if it is not math related.
4. What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my child(ren) on a daily basis after a day at school?
How was your day? Do you have a lot of homework tonight or any projects coming up?
5. What are the best resources that we should consider using to support our child in the classroom?
I know this may sound old school but make sure they know their multiplication facts and try to get them interested in reading something not on a screen. (Books, graphic novels, comics, magazines, newspapers, etc)
6. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
I would do a three week road trip and hit as many national parks as possible. We would bring tents, stay at campsites, and cook our own meals. Students would leave electronics at home and actually experience the outdoors.
7. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
I love those Uncle John’s bathroom readers that are filled with random trivia and useless knowledge. Depending how long I am trapped, I would also like a book on learning how to play guitar.
Ms. Jennifer Yerdon
Berlin Middle High School
Monitor
1. What is your favorite memory from school?
Playing on the soccer team and being a part of chorus and swing choir.
2. What would the students be surprised to find out about you? What is one of your hidden talents?
I’m not sure if I have a hidden talent and if I do I have not found it yet. Students may be surprised to find out that I am a mother to four children, two of them are young adults and the other two are 16 year old twins. I also have two dogs, a cat, two guinea pigs, a turtle and 19 chickens.
3. What makes a ‘good day’ at school?
To me a good day at school is one where the kids are all happy to be here and have good energy.
4. What kinds of questions do you suggest that I ask my child(ren) on a daily basis after a day at school?
I always ask my kids if they’ve had a good day and if they were kind to others.
5. What are the best resources that we should consider using to support our child in the classroom?
Definitely the counselors and teachers, they are a wealth of knowledge.
6. If you could take the students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them?
I would want them to be able to go anywhere their hearts desire.
7. What is your “trapped on a desert island” book?
Lamb, it makes me laugh out loud every time I read it.