Originally from South Korea, Ms. Castellano has worked in college advising and admissions at Wellesley College, St. Paul’s School, Princeton University, and Convent of the Sacred Heart.

What new initiatives do you want to implement for college advising?

As a first-gen college graduate myself, I would love to see affinity groups and more support for first-gen college students. We have students from wonderfully diverse backgrounds and helping them feel included is something that’s really important to me. At St. Paul’s, we invited college admissions deans to spend a day as a student, which was a great way to show them more about the school.

Ms. Andrew was born in Oklahoma but lived most recently in New Hampshire. She has taught at both public and boarding schools.

What led you to Hotchkiss?

When the pandemic hit, I reevaluated my life and realized that my path might no longer include public education. Last year, I bounced between a couple of schools and pondered what I was looking for in teaching. I realized that I still loved computer science but missed teaching mathematics, so I started looking for job openings as an instructor in both studies. By chance, I found out that Hotchkiss was hiring, and I immediately wanted to apply, because I had only heard good things about this school. I wanted to continue teaching my passions, so I decided that Hotchkiss was the place to do that.

Ms. Alexandra, a creative writer and poet, joins the school after two summers working with the MacLeish Scholars Program.

Tell us what you’re excited to teach in your classes this year.

I’m a poet, and my training in my Masters program and previous to that is in poetry and teaching creative writing. In English 150 and 250, I’m including a lot of creative writing and experiments. In my 250 class, we’re reading a collection of poems and the novel Border Vista by Anni Liu. It’s a great text to be thinking about American Literature and the study of Transcendentalism writers. I want to have the voices of contemporary writers who are exploring questions around national identity, heritage, and the ongoing legacies of colonialism.

Ms. Fralick, from West Chester, PA, rejoins Hotchkiss after graduating 11 years ago. At the school, she played for girls’ Varsity ice hockey team, where set program records and served as captain her Senior year.

What brings you back to Hotchkiss?

As a student here, not only could I enjoy my hobby of ice hockey, but I also I had the opportunity to explore the things I wanted to do with my life. This summer, I was talking to Mr. [John] Cooper at his retirement dinner, and he wondered if I would be interested in the ice hockey coaching position at Hotchkiss. I enjoy teaching Latin, and I wanted to be able to teach [and coach] at the same time. Towards the end of the summer, a great opportunity came up for a Latin instructor position, and I decided that it would be amazing to return to the Hotchkiss community.

Mr. Molinari hails from Alajuela, Costa Rica. He studied Latin-American literature for his M.A. and doctorate. He has taught Spanish in California’s Bay Area.

What are some of your goals for this year?

I am really interested in and passionate about the intersection of school policy with DEI work, especially regarding admissions and financial aid during the application process. I hope to continue working on the material conditions that allow the school to become a more diverse place and emphasize the values that make the school more welcoming for students. In my advanced Spanish classes, I hope to bring more than just the Spanish language, but also to allow students to immerse themselves into the culture, the music, and more.

Dr. B is originally from California, but worked at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for five years, where she earned a master’s in resource and applied economics. This summer, she earned a doctorate in economic education from the University of Delaware. She can often be seen accompanied by her service dog, Nanook.

What brings you to Hotchkiss?

I want to teach economics to high schoolers to get them interested early on and make it less of a dismal science. By the time I get students in college, they already have a pretty set opinion that economics is boring. I’m more interested in getting students up and moving. The application of economics is where the most efficient learning experience comes from, so I [design] a very active classroom.

Ms. Smithey, originally from the Appalachian region of Northeast Georgia, loves to spend her free time outdoors hiking and camping. She has taught physics, chemistry, and engineering for the past eight years.

What are you working on in your classes?

I’m excited to align the engineering curriculum with those that you might see in the top level engineering schools… so that if you were to go to Purdue or MIT, you would have already seen a lot of this [material].

What are your hobbies/interests outside of the classroom?

I’m from the Appalachians, so being somewhere with lots of hiking and outdoor activities is important. I love to read… and play video games, probably an embarrassing amount. I [also] love to cook.

A native of Greece, Ms. MG graduated from the University of Richmond in 2020 and taught at Phillips Academy Andover for two years.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I want to see students being open to sharing their ideas and asking questions. I want to be willing to say, “I don’t know,” or consider different approaches that students suggest and not just the ones I want to show them. I know not everyone has had a positive experience in their previous math classes, and math is intimidating and competitive sometimes, so my teaching style is really driven by trying to make the kids comfortable in math.