7 DANIEL ESLER • Class of 1996 SUBJECT AREA: Chemistry YEARS TEACHING: 15 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 11 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I’m a people person with some introverted tendencies, so I like being with students and the bustle of a high school classroom, but I also like when things are calm and quiet and people are working in small groups or analyzing/learning on their own. In short, I like the academic and social aspects of the educational setting. I also like sharing information and the creativity it takes to make something as esoteric as Chemistry palatable for teenagers. Lastly, I think adolescence is an important period in life. I like being with young people and bearing witness to the tumult of their dramatic lives. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? I loved Mrs. Knapp for her consistency. I loved Mrs. Maffucci for her humor. I loved Mr. Ferris for his passion. There are plenty more who I could mention as well, but class is starting momentarily. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? Familiarity, and my connection to the Maplewood neighborhood. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? I hope my students will remember me as an advocate for their intellectual and psychological development, as a cheerleader for their journey. SCOTT WISE • Class of 2000 SUBJECT AREA(S): Economics, AP Macroeconomics, Smart Money and Psychology YEARS TEACHING: 18 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 11 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I wanted to have an impact on people’s lives. I wanted to help people in their journey through life, even if I am only a small stop. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? I had many teachers that inspired me. Two that had a big impact were Mr. Oberst and Mr. Heyman. Mr. Oberst taught me to think about how the government and politics in a way that I never had before. He helped me to understand why we should be active members in our society. Mr. Heyman helped me think about my life in a spiritual way. His Life/Death class helped me think about my life in terms of how God fits into it. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? After working in an urban, suburban and rural settings, none felt like home. Aquinas had an opportunity for me to come and teach here and I took full advantage of it. It is “home” for me. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? I have been lucky to teach every senior for the past 11 years. If one of them was impacted by something I said or something they learned in class, that makes me happy. My legacy is how my former and current students participate in our society. If they are making positive changes in this world, then I would say my legacy and the legacy of AQ is in a good place. MEGAN (DOBBERTIN) BARBOUR Class of 2005 SUBJECT AREA: Theatre YEARS TEACHING: 8 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 6 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I love watching young artists discover their voice and their passion. Which AQ teacher(s) inspired you as a student? I adored Vonda McLennon’s Biology class. She was all the best kinds of teacher rolled into one: she was funny and made the material fun to learn, she knew how to explain it five different ways in case you didn’t get it the first time, and she would not let you off the hook for less than your personal best. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? Aquinas Theatre shaped a lot of who I am as a person, and I hope to give that same gift to the next generation: a space to become exactly who they want to be...even if they don’t know who that is yet. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? Every good teacher’s legacy is their students. I hope my students learn compassion, understanding, curiosity, and drive from me, and then go on to give to others in the same way. RYAN HARE • Class of 2005 SUBJECT AREA(S): Physical Education & Health YEARS TEACHING: 11 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 5 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I thought about what I was passionate about; my health and sports felt like a great fit. I tried many areas in this field but when I started the teaching program, it felt so natural. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? Obviously Coach D’Ettore and Ms. Mattioli inspired me. They allowed everyone in their class the opportunity to be active and try different areas of activity. It was my favorite part of the day, I was able to get out of my shirt and tie and just move and be creative and free for 40 minutes. I would say Mr. Cook and Mr. Mooney because I always felt like they believed in me. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? I grew up in this neighborhood, walked by this building everyday going to and from school, and then was able to attend. It has always been part of me. I really enjoyed my time here and wanted to be able to help more students feel the same way. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? I hope when all is said and done, I will have made Aquinas a special place to as many people as I can. ASHLEY (POPOVICH) GIONTA Class of 2006 SUBJECT AREA(S): AP Biology, Living Environment, Science & Technology Department Chair, and Capstone Coordinator YEARS TEACHING: 11 YEARS TEACHING AT AQ: 11 Why did you choose to become a teacher? I chose teaching as a profession because I love the impact one can have on individual children. I want to foster a love for STEM. Which AQ teachers inspired you as a student? All of the teachers I had at Aquinas have made an impact on me but the teacher that really sparked my love for science was Bryan Mooney. What made you decide to return to your alma mater? I returned to Aquinas because at AQ I have the ability to share my faith with the next generation and teach my students the values of discipline, hard work, and service to others. What do you hope your Aquinas legacy will be? As a teacher, leaving a great legacy is arguably the most powerful thing you can do. The message I want to instill in my students is that with hard work, dedication and resiliency, almost anything is possible. In addition to our alumni who have come back to teach, there are also several alumni here at Aquinas on staff including: Elyssa (Place) Beck ’10 Paraprofessional Anthony Bianchi ’81 Athletic Director Lisa (Glor) Clicquennoi ’84 Database Administrator Andy DiMaria ’97 Campus Safety Officer Stacy (Colombo) Fronckowiak ’00 Executive Assistant Bob Higgins ’02 Dean of Students Vicky Lopuchowycz ’98 Registrar Ted Mancini ’88 Principal Ray Manioci ’08 Director of Counseling Bill McGrath ’65 Transportation Coordinator/Bus Driver Jay Polston ’90 Associate Director of Advancement for Major Gifts & Planned Giving Dan Provenzano ’92 Equipment Manager Dennis Sadler ’62 Campus Safety Jerry Sussina ’69 Supply Clerk
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTcyNDA=