New school year, new adventures

Region One resumes classes Tuesday, Aug. 27. All seven schools in the district will welcome new staff this year. Mia Barnes, HVRHS class of ’22 alum and summer intern at The Lakeville Journal, compiled biographies for each teacher joining Region One this year.

New teachers at Housatonic Valley Regional High School

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Lilly Barnett

Lilly Barnett will be joining the high school as an art teacher. She is no stranger to Region One. As a Salisbury native and former Sharon Center School art teacher of 10 years. Barnett studied at Hobart and William Smith Colleges before deciding to get her Masters of Science in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College of Education and Parsons The New School. After returning to the Northwest Corner, she taught at Marvelwood School in Kent. Aside from teaching the next generation of aspiring artists, she can be found wrangling her own two children (who attend Salisbury Central), gardening, being active in seasonal sports, creating her own art (ceramics, jewelry, mixed media), or hanging out with family and friends. She is looking forward to beginning her new role at the high school and welcomes any and all into her classroom.

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Dustin Greene

Dustin Greene will be joining the high school as a mathematics teacher. He attended the University of Pittsburgh where he received a B.S. in Mathematics and later received an M. Ed. in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University. Originally from St. Albans, West Virginia, Greene moved up north to start his teaching career. He has formerly taught at the Berkshire School, Lawrence Academy, and St. John’s Preparatory School. With a passion for growth and learning, Greene is ready to help his students develop problem solving skills through the language of mathematics that can transfer to all aspects of life. Outside of the classroom, Greene enjoys working with competitive soccer goalkeepers and is an advocate for youth sports. A big Pittsburgh Pirates fan, he is excited to be working in the former home of legendary Pirates pitcher and HVRHS alumni Steve Blass.

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Kara Jones

Kara Jones will be joining the highschool as a math teacher and will be the chair of the Math Department. She received both a B.S in Mathematics and a Masters of Arts and Education from UConn. Born and raised in Bristol, she has lived in that area with her husband, two children, and two dogs up until last summer when they moved to Winsted. She comes to HVRHS from Bristol Eastern High School, where she was a math teacher and the department chair for the past 20 years. Prior to that she taught middle school for nine years. Jones is hopeful that her years of experience in educating will allow her to develop more confident problem solvers in the classroom. Drawn to HVRHS after hearing great things about the students and faculty, she is very excited to join the Region One community. She is particularly excited to bring back and teach the AP Statistics program.

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Paige Root

Paige Root will be joining the high school as a Spanish teacher. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in French and Spanish from the University of New Hampshire and a Masters degree in Spanish from Middlebury College. She has over a decade of experience teaching Spanish in both independent and public schools. Also a Region One native, Root grew up in Cornwall, is a Cornwall Consolidated School alumni and now resides in Sharon with her husband and toddler. A proud HVRHS graduate, she is excited to be back nearly two decades later and work with many of her former teachers and fellow alumni. Paige hopes to help give students a similar or even better experience than she had through education and extracurricular activities.

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Justin Nelson

Justin Nelson will be joining the high school as a science teacher. With both physics and chemistry certifications, he will be teaching integrated freshman science, physics, and AP physics. He has a sixth-year degree in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Education from Sacred Heart University, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Connecticut, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Growing up mainly in Simsbury, Justin now lives in Windsor Locks. He began his teaching career at Coventry High School in 2015, where he was a science teacher for nine years and department head for the final year. Nelson hopes to bring his passion and enthusiasm for science to the students at HVRHS, by incorporating projects into the curriculum and emphasizing learning by doing. Outside of teaching, he enjoys bowling, singing, board games, and watching movies.

New teachers at Region One grade schools

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Blake Hutchins

LHK/Sharon Center School

Blake Hutchins will be joining both Sharon Center School and Lee H. Kellogg School, teaching Middle School English Language Arts (ELA). He comes to Region 1 with 10 years of teaching experience, working with multiple age groups in both Florida and Connecticut. Hutchins holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from The University of West Florida and a Masters degree in Educational Leadership. He currently lives in Watertown with his wife, and their four year old Golden Retriever, Benson. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys going to concerts and cooking and creating in his kitchen. Hutchins describes himself as a huge sports fan who loves to both watch and play them as much as possible.

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Justin Quador

Lee H. Kellogg School

Justin Quador will be joining Lee H. Kellogg School (LHK) as a social studies teacher. He has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Western Connecticut State University and Master of Science in Teaching from University of Bridgeport. He believes social studies education is important for students to develop critical thinking skills and become engaged citizens. When he isn’t working, Justin likes to spend his time doing yoga and being outside with his two dogs, Winnie and Weezie. Justin previously worked at Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury, but also served as a long term substitute at HVRHS last year. He is excited to once again be a part of the Region One family.

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Allison Curtis

North Canaan Elementary School

Allison Curtiss will be joining North Canaan Elementary School as the Assistant Principal and literacy support teacher. She comes to Region One from the Plymouth School District, where she was a classroom teacher and instructional coach. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and two post-graduate degrees from the University of Bridgeport.

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Courtney Salatto

Pupil Services

Courtney Salatto will be joining Region 1 as a special education teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from The University of Saint Joseph, an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology from Nova Southeastern University. As a special education teacher she is committed to creating an environment for students to feel comfortable, safe, accepted and eager to learn. Salatto is very excited to work with the students and staff members of Region 1. Born and raised in New Milford, Connecticut now resides in Litchfield, Connecticut with her husband and their three sons. She previously worked as a middle school life skills teacher in Watertown, Connecticut and most recently in Sarasota County, FL, as a 2nd grade self-contained special education teacher. During her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring the National Parks with her family.

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Luis Vargus

LHK/Sharon Center School

Luis Vargus will be joining both Sharon Center School and Lee H. Kellogg School as a Spanish teacher. Vargus believes that education is the key to change and transforms lives, communities, and societies. Originally from Colombia, he has taught Spanish and English as a second language for over 10 years. Having taught a range of grade levels he thinks there is something very special about elementary and middle school students. Vargus holds a Bachelor’s degree in English as a second language and Psychology, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience, Language, and Education. Having waited a long time for a position to open, he is very excited to finally be teaching in Region One. Aside from teaching, Vargus loves to travel, dance, swim, and read.

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Mackenzie Tarczali

Salisbury Central School

Mackenzie Tarczali will be joining Salisbury Central School as a 3rd grade teacher. Tarczali is a Certified Elementary Teacher who has worked in elementary schools in both Bridgeport and Salisbury, CT. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UConn, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Sacred Heart University. A newer resident of Lakeville, she has loved hiking and spending time at the lake with her dog and soon to be husband. Tarczali is passionate about bringing light into her classroom and providing opportunities for her students to shine. She is looking forward to this new journey of being a Region One faculty member.

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Erin Matthews

Salisbury Central School

Erin Mathews will be joining Salisbury Central School as the Middle School student academic support/ interventionist. Coming from the Watertown School District, she brings with her 23 years of teaching experience. She spent her first 17 years teaching fourth grade and later moved to middle school for the last six years. She earned her undergraduate degree at Southern Connecticut State University and her master’s degree at the University of Bridgeport. Mathews and her husband are recent empty nesters in Morris, as they sent their youngest daughter off to college last year. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, gardening, and taking leisurely walks with her dog, Otis. Mathews spends her summers at the beach in Maine hunting for beach glass and her winters skiing.

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Shannon Dieck

Cornwall Consolidated School

Shannon Dieck will be joining Cornwall Consolidated School as a 1st - 4th grade teacher. She is passionate about creating a positive learning environment for all of her students, where they can build their confidence and thrive. Dieck believes that open communication with staff, students, and families is essential to making this happen, and can’t wait to recreate this environment in Region One. She loves spending time with her three dogs and one cat, her boyfriend and friends, and her big family. Dieck is an avid reader, swimmer, and enjoys cooking. She also loves to spend her free time traveling the world and learning about other cultures and their languages!

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Madeleine Stern

LHK/Sharon Center School

Madeleine Stern will be joining both Sharon Center School and Lee H. Kellogg School as an art teacher. She is originally from Washington, DC, but after 15 years in Brooklyn has been happy to have spent the last two years full time in Millerton. Stern holds a Masters of Information from Rutgers University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. Previously working at Rumsey Hall School, she is excited to start working with the Region One schools. In her free time she loves to read, swim, and garden.

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Abigail Cowles

North Canaan Elementary School

Abigail Cowles will be joining North Canaan Elementary School as a 3rd grade teacher. A certified elementary school teacher, she holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Child Study from University of Saint Joseph and will earn her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from American College of Education in January 2025. Cowles comes to Region One from Region 14 Schools, where she was a math and reading interventionist at Mitchell Elementary School for three years. She has lived in Litchfield for her entire life and has no plans to leave. Outside of the classroom, she loves spending time with her family, attending concerts and comedy shows, and reading. Cowles enjoys forming close bonds with her students, and believes that every class is a family. She is thrilled to teach at NCES and cannot wait to meet her third grade students.

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Jennifer Moros

Salisbury Central School

Jennifer Moros will be joining Salisbury Central School as a music teacher. A music educator who is also endorsed to teach Theater Arts and Technology Education, she received her undergraduate degree in Music Education and theater arts from Hartwick College. She has a Masters of Music Education from Gordon College. After two years as a middle school choral educator in Region 15, Moros is excited to be returning to Region One. She values student creativity and their brilliant ideas and is looking forward to working both with general music and the choral program at Salisbury Central. When not teaching, Jennifer can be found traveling to new places, hiking up mountains, or skiing down mountains. A native of Litchfield County, Jennifer grew up skiing on Mohawk Mountain and can be found there many days after school.

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Heather Strid

Pupil Services

Heather Strid will be moving into the role of special education teacher at Housatonic Valley Regional High School this year. She currently serves as the Transition Work Experience Coordinator at HVRHS, where she has built over 50 business partnerships to help students gain essential work skills. She is in the process of completing her Bachelor’s in Elementary and Special Education at Grand Canyon University. With a career spanning more than three decades, Strid has dedicated her life to supporting individuals with disabilities, starting at Ability Beyond. She and her husband have been proud residents of Kent since 1996, where they have raised their two children — one who serves in the US Navy and the other who is a rising 6th grader at Kent Center School. Passionate about creating inclusive environments, she loves spending time with her diverse household of one dog, four cats, eight parakeets, and nineteen chickens. In her free time, Strid enjoys singing, reading and spending quality time with her family.

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Angelia Kassouf

Pupil Services

Angelia Kassouf is the new occupational therapist for Region One. She has over a decade of experience as an OT, including extensive experience in school settings across Litchfield and Fairfield Counties with a diverse population of students. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Utica College of Syracuse University (now Utica University). Kassouf has found immense fulfillment in the specialization of pediatric OT where she can uplift families and guide children toward their highest quality of life. She believes that every child is unique and their uniqueness should foster their growth, not hinder it. Kassouf lives in Litchfield with her husband, their two toddlers, and goldendoodle dog. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, traveling, and baking.