Welcome to the 2020-2021 Cohort of the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership
Please welcome the new cohort of the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership. We’re looking forward to working and learning with this amazing group and to sharing their thinking and creativity as the year unfolds.
Jossie Mar Bailey
2nd Grade Teacher, Conservatory Lab Charter School
Jossie Mar Bailey has lived in Boston for her entire life. She just completed her seventh year as an elementary school teacher. As a dancer, Jossie Mar uses her passion to promote the arts across all disciplines in her classroom. Jossie Mar holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Elementary Education. As an educator, her focus is to first create an environment that is equal for all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, disability, or English proficiency. Through a rigorous curriculum that constantly challenges scholars, she can create an environment that is conducive to learning. Her ultimate goal is to ensure school remains a safe and productive place for scholars by providing the necessary support they need to succeed inside and outside of school.
Jossie Mar is a BPS PSi Fellow.
Loredana Da Graça
4th Grade Teacher, Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School, Boston Public Schools
Loredana Da Graça began her career in education in 2011 as a Teach for America corps member. She is entering her 10th year as a teacher at Orchard Gardens working in different classroom settings. Loredana was born in Fogo, Cape Verde, and immigrated with her family to the United States when she was fourteen years old. As a proud graduate of Boston Public Schools, she is fully committed to spearheading a dedicated effort to better support instruction for immigrant students. Drawing on her own experience as a former ELL student, she works relentlessly to close the achievement gap and ensure that all her students are successful in the classroom and beyond. Loredana holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies from Northeastern University, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston University. Loredana has experience leading in different capacities including being an instructional coach for the Building Educators for Life after school program, 4th Grade Team Leader, Language Assessment Team Facilitator, New Teacher Developer, and EL after school program coordinator. Her experiences in school leadership have given her the toolbox necessary to drive meaningful change, and she looks forward to honing her skills as an educator-leader in the PSi program.
Joram Dade
Science Teacher, Boston Public Schools
Joram Dade is currently a science teacher at the Higginson-Lewis K-8 School of Roxbury in Boston Public Schools. Before that, he served as a science instructor and department chair at the Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale. An alumnus of the Teach Next Year Program, he received his Master’s in Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston and his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Houston. He is a member of Science Ed Innovators, a fellowship that supports innovative and sustainable programs that seek to achieve equity in science education. He remains active in the science and arts community around Boston. He has partnered with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to introduce inner-city students in middle school to the STEM fields. He has also participated in Bose Build, a program that introduces students to the technology of sound. His fondness of sound comes from the fact that he produces music in his downtime and is a self-professed audiophile. He grew up in Houston, Texas, but spent his early childhood in San Diego, California. In his spare time, he enjoys movies, music, and sports, including being a fixture around the city as a recreational basketball player.
Gina Claude Desir
English as a Second Language Teacher, Boston Public Schools
Gina C. Desir is an educator who strongly believes in the value of educational equity because quality education for all will only create positive societal outcomes. Her love for teaching began at a young age when her family stressed the importance of school and education. She earned a BA in Education & Sociology and an MA in Applied Linguistics. Gina is currently an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in Boston Public Schools. Teaching goes beyond the classroom walls and because of that Gina finds herself getting involved in a variety of groups and programs that will allow her to grow professionally and better advocate for students. Some of the programs include BTU Teacher Fellow, TeachPlus Policy Fellow, DESE Teacher Advisory Cabinet, and many of the leadership teams at her school. Gina hopes to continue learning and growing as a leader to support students and her colleagues with the work it takes to empower and educate them.
Gina is a BPS PSi Fellow.
Amanda Dillingham
Science Program Director, East Boston High School, Boston Public Schools
Amanda Dillingham is the Program Director of Science at East Boston High School. She began her career in education twelve years ago as a Special Education science teacher in Boston Public Schools while simultaneously obtaining her Master’s in Science Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Before teaching she gained scientific research experience in academic labs at the University of Louisiana at Monroe where she obtained her B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Toxicology. She then completed a second M.S. in Biochemistry at the Louisiana State Health Sciences Center before moving to Boston. Over the course of her career she has focused on building science programs that deliver rigorous, authentic, and meaningful curricula and connect students to college programs, internships, and careers in the life sciences. Amanda‘s hope is that current and former students will continue to build supportive, inclusive scientific communities.
Joshua Fidalgo
Dean of School Culture, Dearborn STEM Academy, Boston Public Schools
Joshua Fidalgo has been with Dearborn STEM Academy for the past eight years and currently serves as Dean of School Culture. Josh received his undergraduate degree from Regis College and completed his Master’s at Boston College in Administrative Studies. Josh sat on the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative's Board of Directors for many years and has collaborated closely with other community non-profits, such as Project Hope and The Food Project. He is excited to join this cohort and looks forward to creating change with other passionate leaders.
Joshua is a BPS PSi Fellow.
Danny Flannery
1st and 2nd Grade Teacher, Mission Hill School, Boston Public Schools
Danny Flannery has been teaching at Mission Hill School for the last four years. Danny holds a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience and an M.A. in Teaching in Elementary and Special Education, both from Northeastern University. Danny was drawn to working at Mission Hill because of the autonomy available to its teachers and the democratic governance he observed taking place as a student teacher. Additionally, Danny works with the Teacher-Powered Schools Initiative as its Teacher Preparation Leader, where he advocates for future teachers to have the opportunity to learn from and partner with teacher-led schools. He looks forward to developing new skills as an educational leader so he can best serve the students in his community.
Dylan Gschwind
Program Director, Intrepid Academy at Hale
Dylan Gschwind believes strongly in breaking down the walls of the traditional classroom and bringing students out into the world to learn. That belief took root when he started an executive function summer camp in his hometown of Chicago ten years ago. Then, after graduating from Pomona College, he discovered a passion for the outdoors and spent many years guiding youth backpacking and camping trips around the world. Eventually, Dylan landed in Boston, where he serves as the director of Intrepid Academy at Hale (IAH), a partnership program with the Boston Public Schools. This program brings students (and their teachers) out to Hale every day for a semester, where they learn traditional subjects in a non-traditional environment: outside. Dylan is passionate about the role that nature and exercise play in learning, supporting mental health, and building community and relishes the opportunity to reimagine high school and work with Boston students.
Nora Hassan Haddadi
Special Education Teacher, Joseph J. Hurley K-8 Dual Language School, Boston Public Schools
Nora Hassan Haddadi is currently a special education teacher at the Joseph J. Hurley K-8 Dual Language school in the South End of Boston. Throughout her years in Boston Public Schools, in addition to providing special education support and helping students to acquire literacy skills in English and Spanish, she has taught kindergarten, 3rd grade, drama, music, and visual arts. She attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA for undergraduate studies in Theater and Dramatic Literature. She also holds a M.A. in Theater Education from Emerson College in Boston, as well as a Master of Education degree in Elementary Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She loves teaching math and is always looking for creative ways to integrate the arts across all subjects. Nora lives in Easton, MA with her magician husband, Malik, and her rock star 5 year old daughter, Maya.
Arlene Hudson
Arlene Hudson is a passionate educator who has a diverse background in education. She started her career in education in her Harlem community providing supplemental educational programs for elementary school-aged children through tutoring and mentoring programs she introduced. Since then, she has taught all levels in K-12 and aspires to become a superintendent of schools in 5 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Education and a Master’s in Business Administration. She has taught in Asia (Korea and China) and was a principal in China for 3 years. One of her unique strengths is her entrepreneurial spirit. She welcomes the challenges of start-up initiatives and has a natural affinity for turn-around schools. She is eager and excited to join the new cohort of the Perrone-Sizer Institute of Creative Leadership.
Pierre Jean
ESL Math Teacher, Boston International Newcomers Academy, Boston Public Schools
Pierre Jean teaches 10th-grade mathematics at Boston International and Newcomers Academy in Dorchester, where he also serves as the chair of the mathematics department and a member of the Instructional Leadership Team. Pierre is an alumnus of the Hollyhock Fellowship Program at Stanford University, which focuses on deepening and developing content-specific instructional practices to create equitable access and opportunities for all learners in the classroom. Pierre is also a former Teach Plus Fellow, which focuses on empowering teacher leaders to take action to improve opportunities and outcomes for students. Pierre earned a B.S. in Mathematics at Worcester State University and a M.Ed. in education from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Mandy Lam
Humanities & ESL Teacher, Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston Public Schools
Mandy Lam has been teaching in the Boston Public Schools since 2015. Throughout her career thus far, Mandy has taught humanities, ESL, and student advisory courses. She began her teaching career as a Citizen School teaching fellow at Orchard Gardens Pilot School in Roxbury. Through that experience she demonstrated remarkable growth as an educator, which later provided her a foundation for her current teaching position at the Josiah Quincy Upper School. Mandy provides students one-on-one attention in the classroom as well as outside support for students and staff through her role as the school’s Grade Team Leader. Outside of the rudimentary lessons that are taught in a humanities class, Mandy dedicates her time to collaborating with other teacher leaders on curriculum design to ensure grade-level content and learning rigor in the classroom. She works closely on the student support team to ensure that students’ and families’ social-emotional needs are met. Additionally, outside of Mandy’s teaching career, she is an active member of her church and serves faithfully on several ministries.
Tia Lawrence
Special Education Director, The English High School, Boston Public Schools
Tamara Lawrence (Tia) was born and raised in Boston/Roxbury. She is a proud alumna of Tuskegee University. Tia finds joy in volunteering, working with children, and doing various crafts. She has been an educator for 21 years.
Jordan Manchester
Climate, Culture & Development Coordinator, Boston Latin Academy, Boston Public Schools
Jordan Manchester is currently a Climate, Culture & Development Coordinator at Boston Latin Academy, where she also serves as one of the coaches for the boys basketball team. Prior to joining BLA, Jordan worked at UP Academy Dorchester for five years, where she taught history and eventually went on to become the Dean of Students. Jordan has been a part of BPS for the last 8 years, beginning as a Corps Member and Team Leader with City Year Boston in 2012. Jordan attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she earned her B.A. in History, and she earned her M.A.T. in Secondary Education from Simmons College. Currently, Jordan is taking classes at Harvard to pursue her Certificate in School Leadership & Management. She is eager and excited to join PSi and to learn from and alongside of her classmates.
Teresa Marx
Chemistry Teacher, Needham High School
Teresa Marx is a public school parent and public school teacher. She has been teaching chemistry for 19 years in public high schools in and near Boston. Although she has taught a variety of sciences, she is a chemistry teacher at heart. Teresa co-founded STEMteachersMassBay in 2017 and currently serves as President of the Executive Board for the American Modeling Teachers Association.
Michelle McGahan
Cornerstone Program Director and Work Study Coordinator, Framingham High School
Michelle McGahan just finished her 5th year as a mathematics teacher at Framingham High School. She graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Teaching English as a Second Language at Framingham State University. In addition to teaching math, for the past two years Michelle has directed the Cornerstone Program at FHS. This program supports retained students in all areas impacting their success in school to help them graduate with their original class. Next year, Michelle will assume the Work Study Coordinator role. She is excited to explore alternative ways to approach and structure education while improving connections with the Framingham community.
Beth Peters
Teacher, Adams Elementary, Boston Public Schools
Mary ElizaBeth Peters has been working in the field of inclusion and theatre education since 2002. Beth is an inclusion-based drama teacher for the Boston Public Schools, where she teaches drama to K0-5th grade students, including students with autism and multiple disabilities. Her work centers on social emotional learning and wellness and includes a focus on trauma-sensitive teaching and bullying intervention. Beth is also a playwright and director and holds a Master’s in Theatre Education from Emerson College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Beth has worked with the Change the Stage organization, Boston Actors Theatre, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, New Repertory Theatre, the Boston Health Commission, The Learning Center for Deaf Children in Framingham, among other organizations. Professional affiliations and conference presentations include the American Alliance for Theatre Education, the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild, the Emerson College Theatre Festival, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute. Her play, "Jonathan," will open with Moonbox Productions at the Boston Center for the Arts this year.
Melissa Pires
Library Paraprofessional, Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School, Boston Public Schools
Melissa Pires is entering her ninth year with Boston Public Schools. Currently, she is a Library Paraprofessional for Kindergarten 1 through 6th grade. She was born and raised in Dorchester by immigrant parents from the Cape Verdean Islands, so she understands the struggles our families and students are facing in today's society. She attended Wheelock College where she double majored in Psychology and Human Development with a concentration in Education. She then went on to receive her Master's in Education in English as a Second Language from Cambridge College. She is thrilled to be embarking on this leadership journey to help foster her goal of shaping the minds of today's students through the importance of self-identity and worth.
Rebecca Poirier
Operations, 6/7 Grade Science/Math Inclusion, Josiah Quincy Upper School, Boston Public Schools
Rebecca Poirier has been teaching science in the Boston Public Schools since 2012. As a Noyce Scholar, Beca earned a Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2013. A recipient of the Teacher Appreciation Scholarship, she went on to earn a second Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix in 2016. Beca has been teaching at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Chinatown since 2013. She has held many leadership roles in her time at JQ and is currently teaching math and science in a full-inclusion setting in addition to being a member of the Operations Team. Beca believes in building strong relationships with her students and their families and finds great joy in her students’ successes both in and out of the classroom. She is excited to join the 2020-2021 PSi cohort and hopes to pursue her administrative licensure in order to work with leaders, teachers, students and families in urban districts to ensure access to a well-rounded, innovative, equitable education for diverse learners. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, baking sourdough bread, gardening, and reading.
Lea Serena
2nd Grade Teacher, Boston Public Schools
Lea-Antoinette Serena is a 2nd grade teacher at the Mather Elementary. She is the proud mother of one son, who gives her life meaning, and she is a passionate advocate for children and education. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Bridgewater State University and earned her M.Ed. from Endicott College. She is an active member of the Boston Teachers Union as a Union Rep and a member of the contract Negotiation Team. She is a DESE InSpired Fellow and a Recruitment Fellow for BPS. She believes in having educators that reflect the backgrounds of the student body and fights for change within our school system.
Lea is a BPS PSi Fellow.
Ryan Solero
District Music Facilitator for Lawrence Public Schools
Ryan Solero is currently the District Music Facilitator for Lawrence Public Schools. As a music educator for the last nine years, Ryan has spent most of his time exploring student engagement in the music classroom. His experimental and unique approach earned him an award (Music Ed Idol) and a fellowship through the Music Educators and Teaching Artists (META) Program by way of the Mass Cultural Council. This opportunity allowed him to travel to Valencia, Spain, to study video game music and film scoring – high-engagement topics that he could share with his students when he returned. Since he was appointed music coordinator for an urban school district two years ago, Ryan has learned a tremendous amount about what it means to be a leader. He is looking forward to honing and refining his leadership skills as part of this program.
Lindsay Gabriela Thornquist
6th grade Bilingual Ed. Math and Spanish Language Arts Teacher, Boston Public Schools
Born and raised in Boston, Lindsay Thornquist is a proud product of Boston Public Schools. As a student through the TAG (Talented and Gifted)/ALERTA program, she was able to foster her love for learning and teaching. After graduating Boston Latin School, she went on to attend the University of Massachusetts Boston to earn an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. Later, she went back to UMass Boston to earn a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics. After a year as a paraprofessional at the Mary Lyon School, she began teaching at the Hurley K-8 where she discovered her passion for dual language education. Lindsay is currently in her 8th year teaching at the Hurley School where she encourages her students to be proud of who they are and enjoys using her sense of humor to engage students in the classroom.
Lindsay is a BPS PSi Fellow.
Reginald Toussaint
Executive Director of The Achieve Program at Nobles
Reginald Toussaint is Executive Director of The Achieve Program at Nobles and formerly taught history at the James P. Timilty School. He was born in Port Au Prince, Haiti, and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He has called Boston home ever since. He has maintained a close relationship with Haiti through his writing and philanthropic ventures. He lives in West Roxbury with his wife and two daughters. In college, he studied history, with a focus in Caribbean History. He has taught in the Boston Public Schools since 2001 as a teacher and administrator.
Kendwy Valdez
Teacher, Lynn Public Schools
Kendwy Valdez is a teacher in Lynn and an active clergy member in her community. She started her career as a behavioral staff member for middle and high school at a collaborative in Chelsea. Later, she became a 1st grade teacher and has since become very involved with her district's curriculum & instruction department, providing professional development and supporting the district with the acquisition of resources and curriculum. She is currently involved in the development of the first dual language program in Lynn, to begin in the Fall of 2020. More recently, she partnered with the district to create a comprehensive plan for remote learners in grades 1 and 2. Kendwy is a strong advocate for social justice and equity. Through her work in ministry, she has partnered with other clergy members for advocacy work and to connect the community to resources. Outside of her work in school and ministry, she is a wife and mother and enjoys laughing....a lot, gardening, organizing, and reading (also a lot).